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Japan Relief

Do you want to help the but not sure how? Go to http://www1.networkforgood.org/

and pick a charity of your choice to donate to. Your donation will go towards the efforts in helping those suffering from the catastrophic events that took place on March 11th. Pray for those in need, not only in Japan but all across the world. Peace&Love.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110321/lf_afp/japanquakelifestyleeconomy

Life as a Global Mom: Your Choice of classic Boba or select ERGObaby Ca...

Want to win a baby carrier??? Then click on this link and enter to win a $110 dollar credit to CSN stores for a Boba or ERGObaby carrier!!

Life as a Global Mom: Your Choice of classic Boba or select ERGObaby Ca...: "CSN Stores carries a great variety of baby carriers including Boba, ERGObaby, Catbird Baby, Sleepy Wrap, Moby Wrap and more! In honor of o..."

Who takes care of Mommy?

When the house has been hit with illness, who comes to the bedside with tender care? When a child has skinned their knee who is placing a band aid on the "boo boo" and making it all better? Mommy does....OK, dad's too. I'm not trying to discredit the daddies but let's talk about moms for a sec, k? So, where was I? Oh, yes.....you can find mommy running around taking care of her family, bringing calmness in the home and all coughs, sneezes and "boo, boos" treated. Us mom's are running around so much that I have actually considered doing something that some may laugh at. I have considered wearing a fanny pack in my home just for the purpose of efficiency. That's right, a fanny pack. I figured that if I were to wear a fanny pack then I could fully care for my family in the quickest way. Does someone need a tissue? BAM, there you go! Does someone need a band aid? BA-BAM, there YOU go! and does someone need a cracker? Well, BAM! It just seems like the right thing to do in order to get my kids the things they need in the fastest possible way while saving myself from running all over the house and possibly losing my mind in the process. I don't know about you but my kids are ALWAYS asking for something and they tend to take turns asking. For example, my son will want a drink and so I ask my daughter if she wants one as well and she says no. So, I go and get my son the drink and what do ya know but my daughter demands one as well. Or they want snack at different times etc. It's a never ending game which brings me back to the reason for the fanny pack....don't laugh.

So, if mommy is always busy keeping all the puzzle pieces of a home in place then what happens if mommy gets sick? What will be of a family that is use to mommy waking them up in the morning, mommy getting their meals prepared and mommy doing their laundry? Will they survive??? Let me fill you all in on what life has been like in my home for the past week. Folks, this mommy has been sick...REALLY sick and my ability to keep things intact finally failed and let's just say things got....um, messy. First, I started feeling feverish, although I never got a fever, and my body started aching and tingling. Then my throat started hurting. It felt like I had swallowed razor blades. This sore throat was also accompanied by laryngitis which means my voice box was done. I could barely talk and for me this would mean that I was about to be taken over. I couldn't let my kids know that I was losing the one thing that got their attention. I use my voice and often times my voice is the reason the kids stop fighting or they head to bed. I get loud. So, here I am, nervous as my voice is fading and my kids are getting more wild by the second. Once my voice was gone all hell broke loose. My 2 yr old hit the 4 yr old and my 4 yr old pushed the 2 yr old....even my 4m old chimed in with a cry. I tried to say something but the pain was too great. I retracted, holding my throat and grimacing at each attempt to swallow. The kids had won. I was in too much pain and felt too weak to battle.

My home became a war zone; dishes in the sink, laundry piling up, toys scattered across the floor and food all over the couch, table and who knows where else. I cringed at the look of my home. My personal diagnosis of OCD was kicking in and I was ready to jump out of my skin at the chaos. My husbands long hours left him little time to help so it was basically on me to try and keep things a float. I wanted to be taken care of....just for a moment. My husband tried to take care of me; giving me Tylenol, water and then letting me rest in our room....the only problem was he left the door open and the kids came charging in. I had an infant nursing, a 2 yr old drawing on my foot and my 4 yr old begging me to read to him. What happened to dad?! I was under attack!! I was forced to read a book- which I'm sure I made up the words since I don't remember reading it- and I was subjected to marker scribbles all over my foot. If someone could of heard my thoughts they would have heard me scream HELP!!! Hubby came running in shortly after and blamed his distraction on a necessity to see the score of a game. Awesome.
My husband had the kids left and for a moment there was silence. The sweetest thing I had experienced all day was the absolute absence of sound. I could hear my breathe as I exhaled and I could hear the gentle tapping of the wind on my window. That's it, nothing else. This was great!! Just as I was drifting off into sleepy sleep I heard the loudest sound that startled me. My lovely 4 yr old had dropped his (toy) bowling bowl from the top of our stairs and managed to have it crash down on the side of the wall. The kids started screaming with laughter.

My appearance coming down my stairs was one from a horror flick, I'm sure. My eyes were bloodshot, my hair was a mess, and I was wearing an oversized robe stuffed with booger infested tissue....ew, right? I was followed to the couch by my family trying to tend to me the best they could. As I sat there I looked around at the house turned upside down, the kids munching on crackers and cheese for dinner- compliments of chef daddy- and all the kids in mix matched pajamas. My husband tried to care for me and the kids and I appreciated that. I realized, though, that mommy somehow finds super human powers within herself to manage the household, kids and hubby especially in a time when their sick. So, who will take care of mommy? Probably your hubby and kiddos, trying to make it right so that mommy can get back to normal and things are back in place. So long to the days when mommy was a child and chicken soup, cozy resting sessions and peace and quiet was the agenda for the day. Even as sick as I was I laughed at my families efforts to make me better. I asked my oldest to get me a tissue and so he did. He came back with a wet nap.....you know, the wipe we use to clean our babies bottoms with. Um, yeah......At that very moment I got a great idea....that fanny pack plan came back in my mind and I realized I could use it for the things I need too!! Mommy CAN be taken care of!!!! Tissues? YES! Medicine? YES! Ear plugs? Yes, YES, Yes!! Problem solved!

Thankful for Thirsties

When I first started cloth diapering I was overwhelmed with all of the diaper options. There were pockets, all in ones, hybrids and more (which I had purchased) but I wanted to stretch my dollar AND get something that was top notch quality. When I inquired about the basic prefold and cover, since it was the best choice economically, I was amazed by the response about what brand to use. It was unanimous-- Thirsties!! There was such positive feedback about the Thirsties cover that I just had to try it. I'll admit that at first I wasn't convinced. How in the world would this thin cover hold in the abundance of...well, you know. I wasn't sold on it, yet I just HAD to have it and see for myself. I purchased my prefolds and a few Thirsties and was ready for leak central since I nurse my son throughout the night and he tends to be a heavy wetter. We co-sleep so I expected to wake up, drench with urine and a very wet and unhappy baby. I lined our bed sheets with towels and hoped for the best. Before turning off the lights and drifting off into dream world my husband gave me "the look". You know, the look you give your kids when they've done something wrong. In that very second he said what I was dreading he would say..."maybe we made a mistake getting cloth diapers. It seems like it's gonna be a lot of work". I went into panic mode. How in the world would I convince my husband that this was a great choice if I wasn't even sure about it. We turned off the lights and I layed, next to my sleeping boy, hoping and praying that my husband didn't wake to saturated sheets.

Eight hours later the suns beating rays ripped through our bedroom and woke us all up. I apprehensively felt around the sheets, ready for my hand to graze the patch of wetness. Much to my surprise I felt NOTHING! That's right, nothing at all.....zip, zilch, nada! My sons clothes were dry as well as the sheets and hubby. I couldn't believe it. I had spent 8 hours, nursing my son on and off and having him in cloth with the Thirsties cover over it and not one drop leaked. My little man was sure to need a diaper change so I reached for another prefold and another cover. Once I pulled off the Thirsties cover I noticed that his prefold was soaked. Now, I'm not talking about being soaked in one area, I mean drenched ALL over.....there wasn't a dry spot on this piece of cloth. I was even more amazed that the Thirsties cover kept all of that wetness from leaking out and soaking my sons clothes. Not only was the Thirsties cover amazing at keeping all of the wetness INSIDE, it was also amazing how I could wipe down the cover with a damp cloth or wet wipe and reuse it for another diaper change. The diaper didn't have the typical harsh ammonia smell and the inside dried almost immediately after wiping it down. Score! I felt like I won the lottery on this one, folks!

Thirsties covers have kept me a happy mama, not only for it's durability and leak proof construction but also because of the price that is sure to appeal to all mama's. For just $11.50 you can get a Thirsties cover in a adorable selection of colors. For only a few bucks more you can get a "one size" Duo wrap which literally grows with your baby by snapping to make the diaper a small, medium or large size. The next two options are the Duo Diapers, a two-piece diapering system using an insert that gives maximum absorbency and the Duo Fab Fitted which is a super trim, less bulky diaper that can be paired with a Thirsties cover for maximum absorbency. The soft material used is sure to make your little sweetie smile. I have had such a great experience using Thirsties and felt that it was imperative to share it with others. For all you mommies considering cloth let me be the first to tell you that it is easy, ecological as well as economically kind AND highly addictive. I am just so glad that I tired Thirsties, even with my skepticism, and realized how wonderful this product is and how it has truly enhanced my cloth diapering experience......I can definitely say that I am thankful for Thirsties!!

My darling DIVA....

In most homes an adult is in charge, setting rules and expecting their children to follow them. But what if you have a diva as a daughter?? The roles somehow reverse and it is your diva of a daughter calling the shots and taking no prisoners!! Welcome to my home which consists of a darling, but tyrannical DIVA of a daughter. Yes, folks-- don't be fooled by those big round blue eyes, Cheshire cat smile and adorable gestures....she's tough, stubborn and 100% DIVA. How old is she you ask?....she's two!! Yep, I'm controlled by a two year old, but if you knew her personally you would know that age is just a number. So with much experience living with a diva I have devised a diva proof system that is sure to keep any diva from major meltdown, and as we all know a diva meltdown is MUCH more different than a "regular" meltdown. My daughters diva meltdowns consist of my carpet being saturated with orange juice, food smeared on my walls and a lot of theatrics....

Here are my 5 ways to keep from disaster with your DIVA:

1. Keep a selection of snacks on hand: Your diva doesn't want one option of a snack. Oh, no- your darling wants a smorgasbord of treats. One minute she might want grapes, the next crackers, heck she might want a steak!! Have an assortment to choose from or else her pretty little vocals are sure to be put to the test.
2. Positively PINK: Almost every diva LOVES pink. If you know whats good for you, you will keep something, ANYTHING pink on hand. A button, ribbon or sticker would even be fine as long is it displays the unchanging allure of pink.
3. Compliments are expected: A sure way to keep your diva happy is by incessantly complimenting them. Make sure to compliment their diva outfit, even though the black tutu, green boots and orange head band look anything but diva-esq. Whenever I compliment my diva she turns to me with a smile, puts her hand on her hips, shakes her booty and tells me she's a princess...well, it's better then a tantrum, right?
4. Sparkles are a must: If it sparkles and shines than you have a winner! If your diva is headed towards meltdown lane then bring out the sparkle. My diva has a pair of glittery shoes and every time she is having an especially diva type day I have her wear the shoes and poof...an absolute diva has transformed into a doll. She becomes so distracted with her diva sparkling shoes that she forgets about why she was even mad in the first place.

5. Dress to impress...or not: I don't know about you but I'm letting my diva pick out her clothes....the tantrums not worth it!!! Sure, she looks a bit silly at times but for some reason she is as giddy as can be once she picks her own attire. She loves her rain boots, tutu's, head bands-that she wears similar to Rambo, and she has to have her purse and her half naked baby doll. The second I try and take one of those items away my darling diva's eyes water, her face turns the color red and a shrill is heard 20 miles away. I'm not messing with this two year old wardrobe, that's for sure!

My darling diva is the most precious little girl who I love more than words could express BUT that doesn't take away the fact that she is a true blue DIVA. The truth is I wouldn't change her diva-ness for the world...but then again I'm saying that since she's tucked cozy and comfy in her bed, sleeping and the house is finally at peace. Until tomorrow=)