Like, Don't Fret the Sweat

As I've mentioned before I have three kids, so we are no strangers to stinky pits around our house.

Yes, I'm talking about armpits. Stinky, smelly, odiferous armpits. Particularly those of my children.

Abby was very young when we realized there was a need for deodorant intervention. In fact it was just before she went into 1st grade. She was sitting on my sister's lap during a Vacation Bible School program and as she raised her hands to do the hand motions for a song she nearly knocked my sister out - not with her gangly elbows, but with the peeled onion smell emitting from her pit region. Poor thing. When we got home that night I handed her a sample stick of deodorant I had in the closet and the next morning called her doctor. He assured me she was fine and that because she was a very physically active kid it was not an issue that she was a bit stinky.

Trust me when I say I was not blindsided by the younger two kids - we did pit checks from 1st grade on. Now the oldest is 14 and quite the deodorant pro. The other two are tweens - stinky, stinky tweens. Heaven help us all.

Because this is pretty much a universal issue parents and kids face, Unilever has designed a website regarding this sensitive subject called DontFretTheSweat.com . There are informative articles from "perspiration pros", ways we parents can handle the conversation in a way so as not to scar our children for life and a product guide. There are also coupons! Who can resist a coupon? I can't - especially since I have three kids which equals out to six smelly pits.

Sam has been trying Degree Men and it's working better than anything we've tried so far. (And can I just say that boy pits are far more heinous potent than girl pits?) Kady has been trying out Degree Girl "Friends Forever". Out of the three sticks of deodorant adorning her dresser she likes it best. The packaging has all kinds of tween and teen jibberish on it, but I think "OMG" is the most appropriate because that's what I've uttered when I've gotten a whiff of that child after a hot day in Oklahoma.

Check out the site, grab a coupon or two and seriously, Mom, like...don't fret the sweat. Like, OMG.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Unilever and received the items necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Gatorade - Beat the Heat

Here in Oklahoma we have seen a few days reprieve from triple digit temps. This has been one of the hottest summers I can remember in a long time and trust me, I've experienced my fair share of "Oklahot" summers. When the temperatures soar it's not always ideal to stay indoors under that blessed AC and that's where Gatorade comes in. Gatorade's "Beat the Heat" campaign works to educates athletes, parents and coaches about heat-related illness and the importance of proper hydration.

As a mom it's my job to make sure my crew stays hydrated. Water is a spectacular hydrator and we definitely need it, but when you're losing as much fluid as recent temps have caused you need more. Gatorade has the carbohydrates and electrolytes that water does not. My kids are basketball players and while they sweat their fair share on the court, it's a winter sport and rehydrating is easier. Football players play in the brutal heat of summer early on in the season. By drinking only water while practicing and playing the brain may turn off the perception of thirst before the body’s overall fluid needs are met and you may not fully rehydrate. The electrolytes in Gatorade help maintain the stimulus to drink so athletes drink enough to replenish and refuel.

Younger athletes may be at a higher risk for heat-related illness, so while your little quarterback is out sweating on the field be on the lookout for symptoms: nausea, headache, weakness, lack of concentration (that doesn't count playing in the end zone and picking dandelions for those first-year players!), flushed skin, lightheadness, loss of coordination and fatigue.

It's important to hydrate before, during and after physical activity. Thank goodness for Gatorade's full line of drinks made for all phases of activity. Gatorade, the NFL and Moms all over have taken our kids' hydration and safety to heart. And you can help, too. You can download a free Gatorade Heat Safety Kit at the NFL Training Camp website. For every unique download Gatorade will donate $1 to “Beat the Heat” charities up to $20,000. The Gatorade Heat Safety Kit includes educational resources from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, as well as an explanation about the “4 Downs” of Heat Safety – Prevent, Prepare, Proper Hydration, Plan – which athletes, parents and coaches should consider before engaging in practice or other strenuous physical activity in hot weather.

So when you send your little athlete onto the field - whether she's a cheerleader or he's a running back - make sure you're armed with information from Gatorade's "Beat the Heat" campaign and make sure they're armed with Gatorade.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Gatorade’s “Beat the Heat” campaign and received Gatorade samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

YourSphere and Blogging

My kids are no stranger to the world of blogging. God love 'em, their entire lives are blogged on a semi-regular basis. They know few things are sacred when it comes to Momma and her blog.

But as a mom I want to teach my children the responsible way to blog and share things on the internet. They are children, under my care and my responsibility. If I choose to overshare on the internet, well, I'm an adult and a redneck and you know how we rednecks love firearms. Just sayin'. But my kids are innocents in need of my direction and supervision. They need to understand that what they say is permanent and can have long-lasting consequences. I'd like to teach  my kids to become responsible bloggers.

What better way to introduce them to the world of blogging on their own but through a blog on Yoursphere? My 8 year old took to it like a duck to water. She spent the better part of an afternoon creating a blog post about our very reproductively superior cat, aptly named Michelle Duggar. She was so proud of her work and I edited for her many, many, can I say many times? She loved the creativity involved in telling the story and has forced many a family member to read her blog.

My 11 year old wasn't as impressed with the blogging process. He is kind of anti-grammar and punctuation anyway - probably because he's 11 and a boy. I'll continue to gently suggest he give it a whirl. Who knows, he may be a daddy blogger someday. Or he may be like his daddy and just shake his head in wonder at his wife who blogs. One never knows.

I have been so impressed with the Yoursphere test drive that Mom Central made available. Without it I probably never would have tried it or let my kids try it. I think internet safety for our kids is of the utmost importance and Yoursphere comes as close to safe as I think you can get. We, as parents, still must be vigilant and very much a part of our children's online presences and activities. My kids have enjoyed becoming part of an online community where they have a voice and can have some fun, too!

"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."

Yoursphere

My two youngest kids are still having a blast with the Yoursphere site and we're two months into using it. I think what they like the most is that they feel like "big kids", like their big sister who uses Facebook.

When I told Kady about this week's "homework" which involved decorating her condo and getting a job at the coffee shop in Our World (kind of like YoVille to you Facebook game-players) she waved me away and said, "Done. Like, weeks ago." Well, what was I thinking? Of course she did. :-)

Both kids have created their own spheres and are actively participating in other spheres, some created by Yoursphere and others created by other kids. We'll be out somewhere and they'll see something random or we'll have a conversation about something and invariably at some point one or both will either say, "I wonder if there's a sphere for that," or "I'm making a sphere for that!" Needless to say, they are both really enjoying the feeling of independence they get from creating something of their own to share with other kids their ages.

If you have a kiddo between nine and 12 I encourage you to check out Yoursphere for yourself and then sign up your kids!

"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."

I'm a Yoursphere Test Driving Mom!

I am an avid user of social media and networking sites. I am also 37. Let's be real: Facebook is not for kids. If you have a kid on Facebook I certainly don't mean to offend you, I just know for a fact that there are some creepy, creepy dudes out there just trolling around looking for kids. I am not dissin' social media and networking outlets, I'm just saying let's leave the little kids off of them. Abby is 13 and after many lectures and strict guidelines we let her have a Facebook page, but it is private to non-friends, she knows the rules and what will happen if she breaks them (beheading) (just kidding) and I also have her password and check her page and actvity often.

But I also have two younger kids who are very jealous of big sister's Facebook page and there is no way I am letting them on there just yet. I am my children's biggest advocate and if I don't step in to protect them, montor their online activities and make sure they're safe then who will? They're kids. Little, innocent kids who still have a hard time discerning good intentions vs. bad ones and who to trust online. So when MomCentral sent out the call for moms to test drive Yoursphere, the social networking site for kids, I was more than excited. It's "social media on training wheels" and parents must sign their kids up and verify their identity.

And now I am more than proud to announce that I am a Yoursphere Test Drive Mom!

My two youngest have signed on and so have I. I have access to their accounts, their "spheres" and activities and I monitor their time on the site. Oh the power! And the huge sigh of relief. So far they are loving it and now in addition to Abby asking if she can check her Facebook I have the two youngest asking, "Mom? Can I check my Yoursphere?" I'm going to have to set up a schedule.....or buy more computers. Nah, I'll just set up a schedule.

Check out Yoursphere and keep checking back here to see how my kids and I are doing with the test drive! If you decide to sign your child(ren) up, email me (theredneckdiva [at] gmail) and I will share a unique code to use that will help me earn chances for a $1000 American Express gift card!

Once again I have to give a big thanks to MomCentral for seeking out the sites and products relevant to moms and their families and giving us this opportunity!

"I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review."

I *heart* cereal

We are a big cereal-eatin' family around here, especially now that basketball practices have started and those coincide with little theatre practices. There are a lot of evenings we just grab a bowl of cereal before practice and then try to eat something resembling a meal afterward. It's a glamorous life we lead, lemme tell ya.

That all being said, I am a pretty picky cereal eater and have passed that snootiness down to my children. There are only a handful of cereals we will eat. MomCentral offered up a review of the new fiber-added Kellogg's Apple Jacks and Froot Loops and I jumped seeing as how Froot Loops are one of my favorites! I was tickled when I found out we were getting Froot Loops AND Apple Jacks to try!

The day the box came in the mail Conner, my cousin's baby, got his little toy screwdriver and tried valiantly to open the box to get at the goodies inside. When I finally helped him and we opened it to expose the cereal-y treasures inside he looked at the box, looked at me, looked at the box and whispered, "Wow." I totally agreed. He chose Apple Jacks first. I, however, chose Froot Loops. We were both silent for many minutes as we partook of the joyous delights - and increased the fiber in our diets quiet tastily!

9 out of 10 kids - and adults! - lack enough fiber in their diets. In fact, most people only get HALF of what they need when it comes to daily fiber. Kelloggs understands how difficult it is to increase a child's intake because, well, frankly no one's come up with a way to make fiber fun and delicious - until now. Apple Jacks and Froot Loops now have three grams of fiber per serving! These cereals include ingredients such as whole-grain corn flour, whole-grain oat flour, oat fiber and soluble corn fiber. They also plan to extend the added fiber benefits to their other cereal lines over the next year. Maybe I won't avoid the cereal aisle so much anymore...

I decided to set up a little taste test in my kitchen and unbeknownst to them, my kids were the guinea pigs, I mean subjects. I had received two boxes of Apple Jacks WITH fiber and a box of Froot Loops with and a box without added fiber. The kids had absolutely no idea there was any difference in the Froot Loops with or without fiber and frankly, I can't tell either. They have already devoured both boxes of Apple Jacks with fiber as well. YAY! I can now feel slightly better about throwing a bowl of cereal at the kids on the way out the door for practices and rehearsals knowing that I am giving them something more nutritionally sound. Score one for me - and Kellogg's!

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s and received boxes of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Moooooooo

I have three kids and only two of them are milk drinkers. Those two will come in from playing outside in the hot 100 degree Oklahoma summer heat and pour a big ol' tall glass of milk and chug away. And considering that my oldest is nearly 13 I am tickled that she still drinks milk with meals and hasn't developed her momma's bad sweet tea habit. That third child, unfortunately, takes after her mother and doesn't much care for milk, so when Mom Central offered the Why Milk? blog tour I jumped at it - especially after they mentioned recipes to help get your family on the dairy train.

The Why Milk? website is absolutely chock full of information. I spent some time analyzing my daily beverages and discovered that by not drinking milk I am really shortchanging myself in the vitamin department, something I guess I'd never really given much thought. I'm not saying I'm going to run in right now and drink a half-gallon of milk straight from the carton, but I am going to make a more conscious effort to include milk in my diet since I'm all like, knockin' on the ripe old age of 40's door and all. Plus, that non-dairy child of mine could use a boost as well....

Which brings me to my next paragraph: RECIPES! I am a sucker for a recipe section of a website and wasn't disappointed in the least by the selection at the Why Milk? site. Sam just got braces and a horrific, medievel-looking torture device known as a Rapid Palate Expander which basically means the little dude is on a pretty squishy diet for the next week or so. We've been trying out smoothie recipes for a week or so and we've all decided that the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup smoothie is DA BOMB and even little Kady No-Milk likes it! And Berry Dairy Dream? Ohhhhhhh yeah. It's my personal favorite. Soup-er Creamy Veggie Soup is on the list for when the weather cools off because here in Oklahoma I think it's state law you can't eat soup when the temperatures outside are this close to boiling.

I think the Why Milk? website is great and am so glad Mom Central partnered up with the Milk Council to bring this blog tour around. I wasn't aware a website about milk could be so informative, to be honest. I worry about my youngest's milk intake and am going to work harder to "sneak" some milk into her diet - thanks to the Why Milk? website I'm armed and ready!

Wow! Wow! Review-zy! And give-zy!

Being a stay-at-home mom for over 12 years now I have become acquainted with my share of children's programming. My kids are getting older now and they're a bit harder to entertain. I'll be honest, when I got the email that I was chosen to be part of the Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! blog tour for MomCentral I was probably more excited than most 36 year olds should be. Really, the baby just loves Nick Jr. Really. The baby. *cough* But I knew that the real test would be getting the bigger kids excited. Instantly, the 12 year old opted out. Hey, that's understandable what with all the angst and drama coming from her very core of existence. When the DVDs came in the mail I did the happy mailbox dance. Again. (MomCentral just does that to me.)


Then we got the flu. No one felt like doing anything other than whining about being alive in such a pitiful state. Wubbzy was, for a time, forgotten. *cue sad abandonment music*


But today Nonner and I decided to put the DVD for some uninterrupted viewing time. Okay, really the 8 month old had nothing to do with the decision... Anyway, he loved it. And y'all? So did I. I couldn't help but sing along and man, did I suddenly feel the urge to play some kickity kick ball.

We were into the second episode on the DVD when the five school kids got off the bus. I held my breath to see if the living room would be empty after they devoured their snacks. Of course, the 12 year old took her Froot by the Foot and headed for her room, but the other four were hooked.
The 7 year old was singing along and dancing and Sam, who is 10, said, "Hey, this is really pretty good. Ya know...for a kid show." (He gave it a hearty 8 out of 10, which I thought was pretty good from a 4th grade dude.)


A Little Help From My Friends is the title of the DVD, which features six episodes involving Wubbzy and his friends that cover social skills such as getting along with others, confidence, learning to accept help, teamwork and of course, friendship. The songs are catchy and I just really was impressed with how much was on the DVD. Also, be sure to check out the website for games and activities and more information the show itself, which airs on Nick Jr. and Noggin. There's also a "Wubblog" - can it get any better?


Actually, yes it can - because the kind folks at MomCentral sent me an extra copy to give away! All you have to do to enter to win A Little Help From My Friends is leave a comment. I'm not even gonna make you jump through a hoop and answer a question (it's the germs - they've softened my hard heart). However, make sure you leave a way for me to get hold of you if the accounting firm of Diva and Associates chooses you to be the lucky winner of this Wubbalicious DVD! Tell your friends! Link to this post and get an extra entry - just make sure you leave me the link. Comments and the contest will close Monday, February 23rd and I'll announce the winner that afternoon.


Thanks for MomCentral for the DVDs and this great blog tour!

Staying Safe

Like my momma always said: You can never be too careful. Actually I don't remember my momma saying that an awful lot, but that's beside the point. It's still good advice.

And now that I'm a momma myself and I have three school-age kids who are pretty net-savvy I find myself saying and thinking that phrase pretty often. We have a computer that is pretty much set up just for the kids. They are monitored on it and can only go to sites approved by me. But still....they need to be armed with information that they'll use even when I'm not around. Because their friends have computers, too and strangely, I'm not invited to slumber parties anymore. They're so closed-minded that way.

At Abby's high school in recent weeks a group of girls got in major trouble with the DA and even the FBI when their hate page on the web went too far. Kids need to know that behavior like that is cyber-bullying and not acceptable. Back when I was a kid the only bullying we dealt with was the big kids in the back of the bus or the occasional mean girl in the locker room. Now kids are getting threatened and embarrassed and brutalized online as well - online where we parents aren't necessarily watching over them all the time.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has set up a website to educate tweens and teens on internet safety. NSTeens is just for teens and tweens with comics and videos to watch about keeping themselves safe, what to do about cyberbullying and how much information is too much to share online. The characters in the videos and comics have bios that let them seem more real and personal to kids. Abby, my tween, declared it "cool". Do you really need more of an endorsement than that?

Thanks, MomCentral, for letting us know about this informative website!

Baby R'Minder

When I started this review site it was mainly to keep track of my Mom Central reviews, but I also wanted to be able to review products, movies, books and anything else on my own as well. Occasionally a product comes along that really makes sense and it's even more awesome when that product is the creation of a family member. I'm proud to let y'all know about this product, the Baby R'minder.

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We are a busy society. We are probably too busy for our own goods. I know I personally meet myself coming and going on a regular basis. My kids are all vocal, verbal and frankly, they never hush while we're in the car because they are in grade school and middle school and are therefore obnoxiously all up in my business, but what about a baby? Babies are most usually lulled to sleep by the rocking motion of the car. Infants in rear-facing car seats become almost invisible once they drift off to sleep - they are silent and not in your direct line of view. So, while we don't think it will ever happen to us, it's easy to see how sometimes babies are forgotten in cars.

We've all heard the tragic stories of busy moms and dads who have forgotten to drop their child off at the sitter or have forgotten them in the car while they go into a store. Statistics show that because of front seat airbags, the incidence of child death due to hyperthermia (body temperature getting too high) has risen dramatically. Children and infants aren't placed in the front seat anymore and because of that they are at a greater risk of being accidentally left in the car.

I babysit my cousin's baby and the first day she brought Nonner in with the Baby R'minder on his carseat I wasn't sure what to think, but what she said makes sense - if you have a visual, tactile, solid reminder of your baby the chances of a tragedy like leaving them in the car decreases. The Baby R'minder hooks at one end to the child's carseat and at the other end to your keys, tethering you to your child and giving you a visual reminder of them even if you can't see their adorable little face. When your keys come out of the ignition the strap connected to the carseat reminds you that your precious cargo is in the backseat.



The Baby R'minder comes in your choice of colors and the length is adjustable. We've used it in a Chevy HHR, a Dodge Ram pickup, a Chevy Impala and a Dodge Caravan - we've run the gambit as far as vehicle sizes and have never had any problems with running out of length.






The Baby R'minder sells for $14.95 with free shipping. I've done some looking around online and I haven't found another similar product as versatile and affordable as this one. And I'm really not just saying that because my Aunt Janet came up with this product - I found a carseat alarm/reminder system online for $275, but if you have an infant you probably don't have $275 just lying around the house. (And if you do, please let me know your secret.)

If you are interested in purchasing a Baby R'minder or would just like more information email me and we'll do our best to answer your questions and take care of your order. theredneckdiva[at] gmail [dot] com) Eventually we'll get a shop set up on Etsy.com, so be on the lookout for that because, of course, I'll announce it on here!

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None of the parents that have accidentally left a child in a car are bad parents and like my aunt, the inventor of Baby R'minder said, "People who aren't busy probably don't need one of these." You know as well as I do, though, that we're all busy. And we all could use a gentle r'minder.

Gimme a boost, wouldja?

I have two kids still in booster seats, so when MomCentral announced a blog tour for a device that makes boosters not so wobbly and unstable, I nearly broke my "reply" button trying to get included in the tour. I was tickled beyond belief when they announced that everyone who responded got to be a part!

Enter SeatSnug.

If you have kids in boosters you know how they seem to sliiiiiiide toward the front edge of the car's seat or how they somehow always manage to be off-kilter. We drive a Dodge Caravan with bucket seats in the middle row and oh, how those bucket seats hate my kids' boosters. There are honestly some days I wonder if them just sitting in the seat would be safer. Check out the SeatSnug website and watch the video of the test done at parking lot speed and ... oh heck, you probably see that every day in your rearview mirror if you've got a child in a booster seat. I know a booster puts them up where they need to be, but it doesn't keep them there very well at all.

Before I go further I need to say that installation was very easy. I put it on while standing on my driveway in my pj's and sock monkey slippers in 40 degree November weather and it only took about 5 minutes. My fingers weren't even numb by the time I finished. (In Oklahoma that is a feat sometimes.)

Kady's booster so longer slips, slides and aways; it stays exactly where I want it to stay - right under her hiney. No tipping, no wobbling, no more me having a panic attack when I look in the rearview and see her seatbelt across her neck because her booster has slid out from under her. It's also easy to turn off when you have a non-booster-using person in that seat. A simple push of the tab either way, to turn it off or on, and it's done.

A big thank you to the makers of SeatSnug for giving parents a product to keep our kids safer and big thanks to MomCentral for making it available to review. Be sure to check out both websites!