Mama’s Monday Favorite: Kidz Placemats by Modern Twist
Looking for style and creativity? These fabulous and artistic Kidz Placemats by Modern Twist will keep your little ones at the table. The amazing, eco friendly, food grade silicone makes it safe to have around meals, plus the non–porous germ free surface makes the placemats easy to clean.
Does it get cooler that this? Yes!! They are lightweight; you can roll them up, take them to restaurants or use them at home. With its washable or dry erase markers, those little fingers will be able to use them and reuse them over and over again.
Want more? The placemats are free of BPA, lead, latex, phthalates and other harsh chemicals giving a comfort and piece of mind knowing that your child is not exposed to harmful chemicals. The placemats are also the perfect gift for a budding artist. We also love the placemats because they are a great distraction for your friend’s kids who insist on coming over.
To purchase the Kidz Placemats by Modern Twist visit: https://www.modern-twist.com/_modern-twist.php?product=page&which=pkmain&cat=kids_placemats
Fun Facts About Kissing
Did you know kissing is ten times more effective in relieving pain than morphine? And that about 90% of the world’s culture kisses? When we kiss blood vessels expand, cheeks flush, pupil dilate and the heart produces more oxygen to the heart.
Source: http://www.good.is
Above the Crowd: Standing Out In An Overcrowded Animal Shelter
Dogs like me didn’t have as much competition in shelters before the recession. Pet parents had become better at spaying and neutering their four-legged friends, resulting in fewer unwanted pooches. But now shelters are bulging with my fellow canines left homeless after lenders foreclosed on humans’ homes.
It’s a stressful time for fur babies stuck in noisy kennels, surrounded by unfamiliar people and other dogs that are equally stressed and anxious. Here’s what man’s best friend can do to improve their odds of being selected when a prospective pet parents visits:
Don’t worry if you’re not the prettiest in the group. Your temperament is what matters most.
Don’t play coy by hanging around in the back of the cage. Your shyness could be mistaken for being fearful and distrustful of humans.
Wag your tail just enough that it signals you’re happy. Be relaxed, open your mouth a little so your tongue lolls; even take the playful pose with your rump in the air.
Make eye contact; don’t lunge or growl, signs of a dominant aggressive personality
Don’t seem too eager. It’s a red flag that you might suffer from separation anxiety when your owner leaves you at home.
If the human requests to spend time with you outside of the cage and purposely ignores you for a few minutes, don’t appear uninterested. Instead, show affection by gently nudging the person, licking or leaning in warmly. By no means do you jump on or paw the person.
When you’re petted, stand still and show that you enjoy the human touch by moving in for more contact.
If the person wants to play fetch or tug-of-war, do so. When the game ends make sure you go from excited to calm in a brief time. Sit or lie down to show that your energy level is suitable for a home.
It’s a very rewarding experience for a human after they adopt us. They know they’ve saved a life. That life might as well be yours.
Letters to myself: Is Gossiping Healthy?
At my daughters’ school, it’s called the carpool mafia. It’s where rumors are born and trouble begins.
“I heard the meeting didn’t go well last night. Was the 5th grade teacher drunk?”
“Susan’s mom went out on a date with Tracy’s ex. Can you believe that?”
“Did you hear William got suspended? Do his parents even know he’s a bad kid?”
I used to be a magnet for gossip at the school, for no other reason than I had three kids there and knew just about everybody. After getting caught in the middle of too many icky situations, and feeling two-faced with more than one friend, I put up an imaginary shield that said tell someone else.
I wish I could say that made me a virtuous person and I no longer engage in criticizing others behind their back, but I can’t. It’s almost as if women are inherently drawn to gossip when given the opportunity to sit together and talk, with no other purpose than to “catch up.” Somewhere in the discussion, opinions are given about people not in attendance, who can’t defend their perceived shortcomings.
A basic psychology class teaches us that we gossip in order to make ourselves look better. By tearing someone else down, we build ourselves up. Unfortunately, to the mature, gracious individual, we’re only showing how small and petty we are. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to recognize more and more the ugliness of gossip and the trouble it can cause. I also hate the way I feel after. It’s as if there’s a dusty, cruel layer of dirt covering my skin. If I could only take a shower and wash it all off.
Occasionally, I’m honest enough to imagine that others might gossip about me. They may even tell lies I can’t disavow. It’s uncomfortable, and I wonder what it says about me that I partake in it too often. Taking that long shower would be a much better use of my time.
We Are All Connected
In this big round world we are all connected, so wouldn’t it be nice to be kind to one and other. Do something extraordinary, be something good.
source: www.worldwildlife.org
Mama’s Monday Favorite: Disney Fairies Dual Compartment Tote by California Innovations
If you have a little one who loves Disney Fairies, this dual compartment tote bag created by California Innovations is the perfect lunch carrying case for them.
2 compartments
- Spacious main compartment is ideal for sandwiches, snacks, and eating utensils.
- The zipper-enclosed bottom compartment is suited best for cold drinks.
Leak proof bottom compartment
- We really like this feature. If a bottle containing liquid is placed in the bottom compartment and the bottle is not completely sealed, the liquid will not leak out of the bag. You don’t have to worry about the liquid soiling a backpack, clothing, or the seat of the car.
High density thermal insulation
- Keeps contents cold for several hours.
Ultra Safe™, easy clean lining with Microban®
- The inside lining is BPA, PVC, lead, and phthalate Free. This is important because BPA, PVC, lead, and phthalates are toxic substances that can cause serious health problems if they are directly exposed to food.
Other Features we like:
- Carry handles/shoulder straps
- Dimensions: 10.8″ W x 9.5″ H x 5.5″ D
- 181 ounces
- 1 year limited warranty
- Zipper closure
- Fairies featured: Tinkerbell, Silvermist, Iridessa, Rosetta, and Fawn
You can purchase this tote bag at Amazon.com
Cry Over Spilled Mercury?
What started out as an innocent dusting job using the broom to reach the high recesses of my ceiling soon ended in tragedy. Well, it wasn’t as dramatic as all of that, but in the end I had a broken compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb on my kitchen floor and didn’t know what to do with it. My spidey senses knew that most (if not all) CFLs contain mercury, and that mercury = bad news for my health and that of my kids and cats, but how do you safely clean up a mercury spill? Was it anything to really worry about?
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the breakage of a mercury-containing light bulb like a CFL shouldn’t be taken lightly, although the amount of mercury in the average CFL is quite low. In fact, the average CFL contains about 5 milligrams (the same size as the tip of a ballpoint pen) of mercury. Compare that to the 500 milligrams in old-style thermometers, and that’s not much. Or consider that a typical dental filling contains up to 200 times more mercury than one of these bulbs. And of course, there’s the mercury that’s spewed into the atmosphere every day by coal-fired power plants.
But enough about that. The point here was to find out how to clean up the bulb, and the US EPA site recommended the following:
- Have everyone leave the room, including pets.
- Air out the room for 15 minutes while being sure to shut off air circulation devices (central air, for instance).
- Using a stiff piece of paper or cardboard (not your broom or your vacuum!), brush up all of the glass shards, powder, and mercury you can and place it all in a plastic bag and seal.
- Then, using tape, pick up any remaining debris.
It is also recommend that you throw away any clothing or bedding that comes in contact with the mercury directly.
- Lucy goes green
Paying for Happiness: The unexpected cost of the pursuit of happiness
Is happiness free? According to researchers at Princeton, who surveyed 450,000 Americans between 2008 and 2009, it costs about $75,000. As income decreased from $75,000, people reported decreasing happiness and increasing sadness, as well as stress.
The median U.S. household over $50,221 annually.
