Look Good Feel Better

The big “C” word that no one wants to hear in their lifetime, is one of those things that I hold close to me.  Cancer is one of those diseases that carries a lot of heartache with it and no family should have to go through it.  I lost a family member to cancer and it all happened so fast.  There are many resources available to families to help people cope and to help lift their spirits.  I think that good resources like Look Good…Feel Better are so important in aiding families in the healing process and can even make a difference in recovery and survival.

Look Good Feel Better is a free, national public service program that helps women cope with the appearance-related changes of cancer treatment through workshops across the country, self-help materials, and other free information.  Look Good…Feel Better is a collaboration of the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Inc. and the National Cosmetology Association.  I cannot think of anything more wonderful since cancer can change a woman’s appearance so drastically with things like the loss of  hair and just how much the illness can wear on your body.  It is hard to feel pretty when you don’t feel good and are dealing with so many things.

In honor of its 20th anniversary, Look Good…Feel Better is asking women cancer survivors to submit their stories of how the program helped them cope with cancer as a way to inspire others who may currently be undergoing cancer treatment.  Entries will be featured on the Women of Hope is Beautiful blog to help educate others.  Anyone can visit the site to view entries, make comments and show their support.  In August, Look Good…Feel Better will choose five women with the most-compelling stories to receive a trip to New York City for a makeover and a trip to the DreamBall, a black-tie gala and the program’s largest annual fundraiser, held each year in New York City.

This is a great way to support a good cause and to give someone who has made it through cancer with courage, the chance of a lifetime to win a really awesome trip. Thank you Mom Central for making me aware of such a wonderful organization!

Electrolux Virtual Lemonade Stands For A Good Cause

Summer is a great time of the year for me.  I love being able to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and warmer weather.  The warm weather brings back memories of childhood and all the fun things associated with Summertime.  I can remember setting up lemonade stands on the corner with the ambitious hopes of making money to buy something.

Electrolux has created virtual way to give hope in the fight against Ovarian Cancer with their Virtual Lemonade Stand contest.  They are helping to raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, and everyone who logs on to the site and participates in the campaign will be automatically entered for a chance to win a new Electrolux French Door Refrigerator.

For every stand opened, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). In addition, you canhelp the cause even more by buying and sending virtual glasses of lemonade to your friends and family, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting OCRF. This is a great way to celebrate the beginning of summer.  Even better, just for opening your stand, and then again every day that you log in and visit your stand, you will be entered to win a new French Door Refrigerator from Electrolux – perfect for storing your own pitchers of lemonade. When others donate to your stand, they will also have a chance to win! I created a stand and it was quick and easy to do and if you want you can visit my stand and donate to a great cause!

The new French Door Refrigerator is part of Electrolux’s full line of stylish appliances, featuring sleek designs and top-of-the-line performance. The French Door Refrigerator is loaded with unique features that make it ideal for entertaining at a moment’s notice. I was taking a look at this new fridge and I was drooling over all the space it appears to have.  We currently have a side by side one half freezer and other half fridge and the space seems so limited.   This new refrigerator is to die for with all the features.

Features Include

Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty Weekend

Father’s Day is right around the corner and it is a time to celebrate families.  I know it will be a day to remember Dad but I think it is a day that encourages families to celebrate each other.  On the flip side of that, there are many children who don’t even have a family to celebrate with, and are in need of a place to be. 

For the past three years, Wendy’s has made it a Father’s Day Frosty Weekend tradition to donate 50 cents from the sale of each Frosty to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The money raised goes to the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, which funds full-time adoption recruiters at local agencies across the U.S., who  pair up parents with foster care children needing homes. So, you and your family can enjoy a Frosty and help out a child find a loving home.  Frosties are one of our favorites in this house, so we will have no problem helping out!

You can also involve your own children in this great cause  by having them create a fun Father’s Day eCard on FrostyCard.com. For every card they send, Wendy’s will donate an additional 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation. Kids can attach coupons for “taking out the trash” or “washing the car” onto the cards for Dad.  I think this is a terrific way to teach your child appreciation for the things they have in life and be able to help out a child that is less fortunate.  It involves them, teaches them the value of giving, and they get to remember Dad.

I cant think of a better way to spend time with your family while helping to create a permanent place to call home for a child in need of a family.  A frosty is a great way to have a fun day out for Father’s Day while helping make a difference.  Thank you Mom Central and Wendy’s for telling me about such a good cause!

Mamapedia Great Parenting Resource

I know that being a first time parent can sometimes feel like a lonely job.  I know that having online communities have been such a huge help for me as a mother.  Not only do I find answers to a lot of my questions but I feel like I have a place where I can share suggestions, share moments and meet moms just like me.  It offers the best parenting advice because it is the advice that you seek and not the unsolicited advice that we so often hate.

I was recently introduced to a great resource for moms called Mamapedia.  I think it has a wealth of valuable information. Mamapedia enables you to search for answers to your most pressing questions, such as childhood crushes, renting a house, and summer camps, to get empathetic and insightful answers from moms around the country.  Mamapedia allows you to quickly navigate through thousands of  categories to find the thoughtful, sympathetic-and most importantly-helpful answers to all of your questions. Mamapedia brings millions of women together online, both nation-wide and in their own communities, so they can help each other tackle those difficult parenting questions or even just give recommendations on our favorite pediatricians, playgroups, and kid-friendly restaurants.

They compiled all their answers and organized them by stages which makes finding what you need easy.  I love having another place I can go to find these answers and will definitely have this as one of my bookmarks.  There are many resources for parents and having one more just makes it even better.  After all we could use all the help we can get. This is such a great tool!

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Pure Indulgence Without The Guilt

With the weather warming up we spend a lot of time outdoors as a family.  One thing that I love about summer and remember as a child was the local ice cream truck that came through the neighborhood.  So, I have always associated the warmer weather with ice cream and who doesn’t love ice cream?

Nowadays when I have ice cream, I always feel like I am over indulging, and most ice cream is high in sugars and fat, so if you just look at the container it seems like you can gain five pounds.  Until recently, I had never tried any low fat ice cream, simply because I figured that it would be rather tasteless as most fat free things can be.  They either taste horrible or have no taste at all.  Thanks to Mom Central, I got the chance to try Skinny Cow ice cream.   I had always seen it in the store but just assumed it wouldn’t taste that great.

Skinny Cow’s low-fat ice cream sandwiches are a great way to enjoy ice cream as part of a healthy lifestyle. Each ice cream sandwich only has 150 calories and 2 grams of fat,so you don’t have to feel guilty about when reaching into the freezer for a snack. The light and creamy frozen treats come in seven different flavors, including cookies ‘n cream, chocolate peanut butter, and mint.   These sandwiches taste anything but low fat, and I love them!

So if you are looking to enjoy an ice cream with your kids without feeling like you have to skimp, Skinny Cow is definitely a healthier alternative and it tastes like you are getting a real treat.  I tried out the Truffle Bars as well, and I wound up hiding the box in the freezer so I could have them all to myself!  Thank you Mom Central for this wonderful opportunity!

Kelloggs Plant A Seed Vote For Your Favorite Field

Back in January I did a post about a really cool program to help rebuild the playing fields around the United States.  So many of then were in pretty bad shape and in an effort to rebuild some of these playing fields, came the launch of the Frosted Flakes Plant A Seed campaign.  They realized the need for these playing field as a way to continue to build community and morale.

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes program initiated a call-to-action for a national field renovation. Since that time, thousands of fields were nominated some with as many as 700,000 supporters! Those fields have now been narrowed down to 100 finalists and your vote will help determine the winning fields.  The semifinalist fields were chosen based on the feasibility of the field makeover, the location and age of the field, how often it gets used, how many events take place, what teams use it, the number of other athletic fields in the community, the demand, condition, and the impact a field renovation would have on the community.

From May 1st through the 31st, you can vote for your favorite semifinalist field at www.frostedflakes.com and give communities a gift of a lifetime.  I cannot think of a better thing to vote for, because it brings people together, helps build self esteem and encourages growth, and makes a safe place for our children to play.  Many of the fields that were nominated, are in desperate need of repair, new equipment, and a complete overhaul.  So we should all get out there and vote because it is an opportunity to change lives!  It doesn’t cost anything other than a minute of your time to make a difference.

Allergy Protection With 3M Filtrete

Both my husband and one of my boys have extreme allergies. I love Spring and all the flowers blooming but along with all these wonderful things comes the sniffling, sneezing and breathing issues.  One of my sons is always rubbing at his little nose, and nose drops have become a nightly routine just to keep him from sneezing so much.

Because of his allergy issues, it is imperative that I keep up with cleaning the house and taking measures to prevent allergens in our home.  We have the pillows and mattresses coveres, and air purifier running at all times in the room, we keep the dog out of the bedrooms, and I am vacuuming sometimes twice a day.

One important factor that many people forget is to change their furnace filters.  For us, it is one of those things that is out of sight and out of mind until you realize that you are way past due for a filter change.  But since we have allergies running rampent in this house, I put a reminder to change the filter on our calendar.

Studies indicate that indoor levels of many pollutants may be two to five times higher than outdoor levels, making it one of the top five urgent environmental risks to public health.  In fact, many seasonal activities such as cooking, spring cleaning and redecorating can spread indoor pollutants.

Dr. Neil Schachter, M.D., past president of the American Lung Association of the City of New York, suggests a “home health check-up” to help make your home a healthier place to live.  He recommends avoiding cleaning products that contain ammonia or chlorine, and limiting your pet’s access to certain areas of the home, including the bedroom. A high performance air filter, such as a Filtrete filter, may also help improve indoor air quality.

It is currently recommended that you change you air filter at least once per season.  This is about every three months. This may be the last thing on your mind especially when you are busy with life in general.  3M, makers of Filtrete filters recognizes that this is often neglected, so they offer the Clean Air Club.  You can receive a season e-newsletter featuring special offers, better home living tips, and filter change reminders.  Plus the first people to sign up each week will receive a free bamboo plant.  Plants act as a natural air purifier in your home!

If you or anyone in your house suffers from seasonal allergies or allergies in general, this is a great resource to help you get on your way to a cleaner, more allergy free home.  Thank you to Mom Central and Filtrete for helping to understand the importance of how to help better your home for allergen protection.

Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Breast Pump Review And Giveaway

After having the boys, I was so overwhelmed to say the least.  After 16 weeks of bedrest and 8 of those weeks in the hospital, and the fact that I was a first time mother and pregnant with twins, was a pretty big deal.  As a new mother you have so many questions about how to do things and what you should be doing, but I had always known that I wanted to breastfeed the boys.  I had not realized the importance of breastfeeding until they were born 6 weeks early and spent close to three weeks in the NICU.

For preemies, providing them with breast milk as soon as possible was something my nurses encouraged because they say that the milk you produce then is different and would provide my babies with a lot of things they needed.  I can remember the first few days at home, and crying because I wanted to give up pumping, but my two tiny little men in the NICU, made me keep on going.  I would pump all through the night and visit them sometimes 2-3 times a day and bring them all my pumped breast milk.

I never quite got the hang of breastfeeding them together, and one of my little guys has a tongue tie that prevented him from feeding properly so I would pump for him and for both of them when I needed a break. Pumps can be a lifesaver, and are great when you need the break or if you have two babies and one doesn’t do well at the breast, you can still give them pumped milk in a bottle.

I was excited to review Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Breast Pump because since I am a breastfeeding mother, I like to see what is out there on the market currently and for in the future when we decide to have another child. The pump itself is very easy to use, and easy to hold, and comfortable and this is important.  It is not overly noisy which was a pet peeve of mine with one of the pumps that I own.  At three in the morning the last thing I want to be hearing is a loud squeaking noise, and especially with sleeping babies nearby.  I had no trouble using this and all parts are easy to clean and better yet BPA free.

About Evenflo Breast Pump

• NEW! All components, including milk storage bottles are without BPA and contain less than 0.01% phthalates. Bottles can be purchased separately.
• NEW! Improved cycle time for more effective milk expression.
• NEW! Improved vacuum performance at all settings between min and max
• NEW! Regulated power adapter ensures consistency in performance.
• NEW! Dual motors for better production allowing individual settings
• NEW! Includes 2 additional overflow valves for additional convenience! Valve color has changed to lavender.
• NEW! More stable bottle stands to prevent possible spillage.
• 4pk sample of breast pads with redeemable coupon.

Another thing I like about this particular pump is, it isn’t overly heavy and is fairly compact, which makes it easy to take with you.  This is great for all the road trips that we take as a family as well.  The price is reasonable and definitely a worthwhile investment if you are breastfeeding or intend on breastfeeding your child. The Evenflo site offers some good resources that you can check out for breastfeeding and Mom Central  Mom Central has a  page dedicated to the Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Breast Pump.  This page  features a special section where moms can share breast pumping tips.  Every mom that shares a tip will be entered in a giveaway to win one of three Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Breast Pumps and boxes of nursing pads!

Also, here at DoubleBugs, we will be giving away an Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Breast Pump and 2 Boxes of Breast Pads to one lucky reader!

This Contest Is Now Closed!

Here’s What You Gotta Do

Mandatory Entry Requirement

Visit the Evenflo site and check out some of their valuable breastfeeding information and come back here and leave me a comment on something you learned from one of their resources.  In addition please tell me why you would like to win this pump.

For Additional Entries

• Blog about this contest and leave me the link
• Grab my button and post it in your sidebar
• Tweet about this contest using #evenflocomfort and a link to my contest
• Add me to Twitter

Contest Starts April 20, 2009 and Ends Monday May 11, 2009

Thank you to Mom Central and Evenflo for this wonderful opportunity!

10-10-10 By Suzy Welch: A Must Read

There are so many instances in my life where hind sight is always better than when you are in the actual moment and making a decision about your life or something of importance.  I think if my life had a rewind button, I could make my outcomes much more appealing in certain situations.

I know with being a busy mom to twins, that things can get hectic and I tend to let my impulses get the best of me.  It is so hard just to slow down, take a deep breath and evaluate things in that moment.  Sometimes when you have a kid screaming in your ear, it is almost impossible to think straight.

But what if you had had a tool to help you think through the choices and determine how the decision would impact your life immediately, in the short term, and over a long period of time?

The book 10-10-10 by best-selling author Suzy Welch, who herself is a mother of four and a columnist for BusinessWeek and O, The Oprah Magazine, provides moms with a decision-making practice that is as simple as it is profound. Suzy shows readers the ways in which using the 10-10-10 method can remove the emotion and uncertainty from decision-making and dramatically change how you make choices in your life.  If there is anything that I can relate to is how emotional I get, especially in situations where I am stressed, tired, and frustrated.  With every decision, all you need to do is consider your options and their consequences in ten minutes, ten months, and ten years, and then compare them to your own set of values. The goal of this practice is an authentic life through which consistency replaces chaos and guilt replaces joy.

Suzy Welch uses actual life experience to demonstrate the 10-10-10 principle, so you can get an actual feel for how to apply this in your own life. The idea is simple and and clear and engages you in a thought process that can positively impact your life.  The part I like that best, is that she is a wife and mother and has been there.  There is nothing worse than someone trying to explain how to live your life when they have no actual life experience to present the information.  I feel like this book has given me some tools to approach situations differently to end up with a more favorable outcome.  Thank you to Suzy Welch and Mom Central for such a wonderful opportunity. This is a book worth reading!

Carpet Fresh Just Say No To Odors

Since having children and pets there seems to always be something amiss in the air at any given time.  I am a bit particular about things smelling in my house.  If I walk in from grocery shopping and things don’t smell right then I will find its source.   Since having the boys, I have acquired the mommy nose for everything!

One of my big things is any odors related to our dog.  She is one big fur ball and even though I love her, we all know that dogs can stink.  When they lay on your carpet, the oils from their fur and skin just sort of stick like a magnet to your carpet and anything else, so  I thought I would give Carpet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator a try.

Carpet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator permanently neutralizes carpet odors and helps keep entire rooms smelling fresh by delivering odor-fighting agents deep into carpet fibers and reaching places air fresheners can’t and leaving a long lasting fragrance. Additionally, the Carpet Fresh Quick-Dry Foam format allows you to simply spray your carpets and walk away without scrubbing or vacuuming.  It dries in minutes, leaves no residue, and is safe for use around your family when used as directed.  Not only that, it can be used in your car and on the drapes.

I love the stuff because all you do is spray and walk away, there isnt anything you need to do other than that.  This is nice and it works!  I had the room smelling fresh and airy in a matter of minutes and it dries very quickly with no weird residue or sticky films.  This is perfect when you get those unexpected calls from guests that say they are stopping by in 30 min! And, the best part is that is comes in some really great scents like Country Potpourri, Morning Rain, Apple Cinnamon, Fresh Scent and Super Pet Neutralizer.

Thank you to Mom Central and Carpet Fresh for a wonderful opportunity to try new Carpet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator!

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