Saturday, August 30, 2014

Please Treat Invisible Illness Sufferers with Respect

If you see somebody parked in a handicapped spot and they aren't in a wheelchair, bent in half, using a walker, please be decent and mind your own business.
They most likely are good at covering up any visible signs or there aren't any visible signs at that time.
Same goes for if you see somebody trying to climb into a bus because some jerkoff refused to let you have a handicapped spot because you have a history with the nasty bus driver and he's never been anything but very cruel to you, (that's a whole other story) and he happens to be the slob who is directing traffic and laughs and tells you there aren't any handicapped spots, even when you see them just fine and he laughs and tells you to get out and walk like the rest of the parents.
Ok, I will and thanks, because it took 30 minutes to walk and I missed a few classrooms at open house tonight.
I don't know how people can be so rude.
I couldn't get on and off the steps on the bus without crawling and the 1st bus driver threw a tantrum because he has a schedule to keep. The 2nd explained I shouldn't be scared and I can stand and use the railing like the other parents. Then of course, some ass behind me had to laugh and moan because he had to wait 30 seconds longer to get on the bus.
I hate having to explain what is wrong with me because I absolutely hate it. It hurts enough to have to be "abnormal" and not be able to do simple things.
I try my best to ignore a lot of symptoms, I cancel dr appointments most of the time and I don't pick up half of the medications I'm to take.
I would like to be a regular mom, a regular person, a regular wife, who doesn't have to crawl and can't complete simple tasks and can't do simple things like : walk up & down steps, walk on uneven surfaces or inclines, walk without dragging my foot, or feet, I mean, it isn't any freaking fun and besides all of that, it freaking hurts, terribly bad!
I'm not good at giving up and I'm very stubborn and I like to think of myself as a fighter, so, I'll keep fighting. But, have some freaking respect. Don't laugh and call somebody names or bitch because you have to wait an extra minute, and the ignorant faces just repulse me.
Maybe try having some compassion for once.

 You never know, you may get stuck here like me or the person you are laughing at.
(I just may slice the tendons in your feet and ankles just so you feel a fraction of what I feel, if you catch me on a bad day

Friday, August 22, 2014

What Happened to Grown Ups?

The other night I was sitting with the kiddos, watching a few videos on Youtube and Aaron, my 11 year old, saw a "Ferguson looting" video along the side & asked to watch it.
It was disturbing, to say the least. People were even stealing the gum balls from the kids gum ball machine
It was embarrassing, it's sickening to see people act like this, grown ups running around like freaking animals, smashing bus terminals, store windows, car windows, just for the sake of smashing things.
My kids were just sitting here asking what their problem is & will people always be this way? Will this be what they have to look forward to when they grow up and have children?
Genevive wants to leave the country. Aaron was just about in tears.
He kept asking why people continue to do this, why do people hate each other so much?
He said he believes if all of the grown ups would stop yelling, hating, complaining, fighting, treating other people bad, if they would be nice to other people, help other people and not act like they live in a zoo most of the time, maybe the kids in this country would start to see the difference it makes and maybe they would learn that when you are nice to others and you stop fighting and complaining & blaming everybody else, things will change and the grown ups of the future will be those kids, who learned these things from their parents & we wouldn't have to deal with things like this....
Genevive decided that if the grown ups would start being nice and teaching their kids how to be nice, she guesses she will stay here. But only if when she is a big person, people change from what they are now.
Aaron explained that he talks to these kids online (video game groups & whatever) and they also think grown ups are lunatics.
The funniest part was when, Aaron said, "Most grown ups are just dumb. Maybe the kids should be the grown ups for a little bit and we can teach the grown ups how to act."
So, we were talking about that for a bit. 

Genevive thinks it'll take a few years of kids in charge, Aaron is giving us grown ups a year to learn how to take responsibility for our actions, how to treat others & how to learn how to behave.
 I agree 100% with them. I really think this will continue to get worse if we don't soon stop the hate, ( no, not just race, not just black and white), the ignorance, the division, the pure hell we live in.
I've learned a lot from my 4 little ones, I'm sure many of you have learned from yours.
Why continue down this path of hate and division?
Our kids are talking with their friends, they think we're nuts!
Our kids are looking to us to learn how to act, how to be a part of the human race and we are failing, miserably! They are losing hope and wondering what weapons they need to protect themselves, what can they do if this or this happens, where should they live, where are there the least amount of people, what job can they do from home so they don't have to deal with nutballs. This isn't right!
Our kids shouldn't be scared of their futures!!
How can we let them down like this?

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Walgreen's Well Beginnings Moms Meet Review (and a super cool formula tub invention you can't live without!)

I received  Walgreen's Well Beginnings baby products as part of a campaign through Moms Meet to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.




We were super happy to be picked to do this blogger review for, Walgreen's Well Beginnings products! I am an avid Walgreen's fan, even if I am a bit far from one, I usually shop online with them. 
I'm also a sucker for cleaning products, baby products, kid products and any other wellness type products that Walgreen's, (and other stores) have to offer. 
My youngest is 4 and potty trained, although he does have accidents once in awhile. So, my 2 gorgeous granddaughters helped with this review. Deegan, my youngest, also helped with the baby wipes. 
We use baby wipes in the bathroom for the little ones and I also use them in my truck for errands, doctor visits and other long trips, so we go through quite a few packs per month! 
I have 4 kids, ages 22, 11, 7 and 4 and we use/used a ton of wipes! I have to admit, I have a couple favorites but, Walgreen's Well Beginnings Sensitive Wipes, rate right up there in the top 3. 
The price is nice, $2.39 for a pack of 72!! 
These work perfect because, even though I love the super thick wipes, super thick wipes have a few downfalls. Walgreen's Well Beginnings wipes are the perfect size and thickness. They get the job done with half of the amount then I have found with some other brands. ( Wipes that last longer save me more money so this is awesome!)
This leads me to my #MomHack which is, using baby wipes for messy hands, faces and even counter tops! I always have a pack on the top of the toilet for my youngest, but I also use these for quick clean ups in the bathroom.
We also received a pack of size 4 diapers.
These are 100% made in the USA, like the rest of the Well Beginnings line, and that alone is a plus for me!
I was absolutely thrilled with the price too! $8.99 for a pack of 31 size 4 diapers. (A few more then other brands and a few dollars less!)
They offer sizes from newborn to size 6 and the newborn, size 1 and size 2, have wetness indicators that turn blue, so you know when your baby needs changed.
The inner liner contains, natural botanicals, aloe and vitamin E, so your baby is protected and that makes these diapers super soothing for your little ones.
We also received Well Beginnings Baby Wash, which is 100% soap free, dye free and ph balanced. This sells for $2.99 a bottle, another sweet price!
I even use the baby wash for me because I love the scent and with my RSD and MS, I have issues with pain and I am very sensitive to certain things, especially shaving. My RSD affects my legs and I sometimes have hours, even days when my whole body itches and feels like it's on fire. My legs end up being scratched up, among other things and I have a hard time with shaving. I started using the baby wash just to see if it would help, since it is made for babies and it is hypo allergenic, and it actually saved me a few times!
The next product we received, was Well Beginnings Oral Electrolyte, fruit flavor.
Well Beginnings Oral Electrolyte is much cheaper then other leading brands and compares 100%!
My 2 year old granddaughter will be using this. She has a bit of an issue, keeping foods down due to her heart medicine, so this will come in handy for her!
We also received coupons for $5 off Well Beginnings Infant Formula. (These will be going to my younger granddaughter since she is still using formula.)
The formula tubs are the coolest things ever! They have an easy open zip top that removes the foil with 1 pull! There is also a scoop holder and a built in scoop leveler! (Why they didn't make these snazzy tubs when I could've used them, is beyond me, lol!) I would've went crazy for these when I was fumbling around at 3am, digging my wet fingers in a tub of some rather yucky smelling baby formula, trying to dig the clear scoop out! (and the built in scoop leveler would have helped tremendously for husbands who make bottles and figure, as long as the scoop has some stuff in, we're good!)
But, that's ok, I'm happy new moms can have such a helpful, mom friendly formula tub!
Did I mention already that Walgreen's Well Beginnings is made in the USA??
If you are already in love with Walgreen's, this is just another reason why they rock!
Have you tried any of these products?
I would love to hear what you think! Please comment below about your experience with Walgreen's Well Beginnings!

We received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms
Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly
from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meets blogger, I agreed to
use this product and post my opinon on my blog. My opinions do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or
the manufacturer of the product.





We Fell in Love with WorldFoods Sauces

 I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetsSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Medai Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

I was more then thrilled to have this opportunity to try, WorldFoods Fusion of Flavors cooking sauces! 
I love to cook and try to attempt something new, whether it's a new style, flavor, food, as often as I can. (of course the kids sometimes end up giving new dinners just 1 or 2 stars) But, we're on a roll lately with our pile of, "Yes! Try again!" or "Yum! Add to our regular menu" recipes. 
So far, everything I've tried with, WorldFoods cooking sauces has been a hit!
We love Asian and Indian foods and I do use a couple of those awesome meal/ingredient delivery services. This is a fun way to try new recipes, not to mention, receive ingredients that I would otherwise have to drive an hour one way to purchase. 
They usually have a good variety of Asian dishes so we often end up making again and again and changing some of the ingredients to fit our family and eating style better. 
Our package of WorldFoods sauces arrived just in time to try that evening and all I have to say is, WOW!








We received a really cool little book to write notes and our favorite recipes and tips inside, (yes, it is almost filled! I love recipes and notes!)
Indian Tandoori marinade and stir fry sauce, Thai Galangai Lemon Grass stir fry sauce, Thai Green Curry cooking sauce and Malaysian Style Rendang Curry cooking sauce. 
As you can see from the photos, Indian Tandoori was our first choice!


I was already planning on chicken that evening, so I used olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper with the chicken and  waited until it was cooked through, then added, Indian Tandoori sauce. (I'm a bit of a messy cook, so of course a few drops landed on the counter lol!) I wanted more to spill after I tried it because it was definitely full of flavor and had such a sweet yet tangy taste!
I also made some couscous and added spinach with the couscous, during the last few minutes in boiling water, and VOILA! 


Genevive, our 7 year old, went absolutely nutty over this chicken! 
I even tried some of the sauces as dipping sauces when I make homemade fried chicken (baked, not really fried) and homemade chicken fingers. (Yes, I'm a dipper!)
Another quick and painless recipe we tried was just as yummy as our Indian Tandoori chicken.



I used Thai Green Curry cooking sauce for this fabulous chicken stir fry dish! (I added 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and some soy sauce as well)

I changed this recipe from an original recipe I used before and liked that I could use the Thai Green Curry sauce which has lemon grass already in it! It's rare I come across lemon grass at my "local" grocery store, so this was a blessing!
I stir fried yellow bell pepper and mushrooms with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and added kale with this, rather then noodles. 
Then I stir fried the cubed chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and then added the Thai Green  Curry sauce, peanut butter and soy sauce.
The amount of real flavors in these sauces are just amazingly good. It really helps make your homemade meals taste more "gourmet" and is much better then take out or restaurant food. 
I can pronounce every ingredient and I know what the ingredients are. 
For instance, Indian Tandoori sauce has ;
water, dried chili, sugar, coconut milk, salt, garlic, lime juice, tapioca starch, dried birds eye chili, citric acid, cumin, coriander seeds, black pepper, cloves, turmeric and cinnamon.
I absolutely go crazy over brands that actually try and help people eat healthier and not have to sacrifice flavor. WorldFoods does just that!
The other reason we will be using their cooking sauces and marinades from now on, is because all WorldFoods recipes contain ;
No artificial colors, no artificial flavoring, no artificial preservatives, no cholesterol, no corn/maize, no egg, no gluten, no milk/lactose, no peanuts, no sesame, no soya and non GMO.
I also really enjoy their website where you can find tons of recipes!
We have some of these allergies in our house so WorldFoods is a perfect fit!



  • 100-percent natural, fresh ingredients to create each of its unique flavors.
  • Currently the brand offers 65 different sauces, dips, and marinades all inspired by the tastes of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, and India.
  • These sauces are perfect for individuals with dietary constraints. Each of their products are allergen and gluten free!
  • Free of added oil, trans fat, artificial ingredients, preservatives, or food flavor enhancers.
  • The retail price for WORLDFOODS sauces varies based on retailer. To find a store near your visit: worldfoods.com.my/wf/where_to_buy/index.php.




  • Thursday, August 14, 2014

    School Shopping Deals with Ebates #GivingBackPack

    I was provided $25 by our sponsor Ebates to purchase a backpack and school supplies. I was not compensated in any other way for this post. Ebates Back To School #givingbackpack #ebates
     It's that chaotic time of year again when we start rummaging through all of the sales ads, and trying to salvage from last years stock to see what, if anything, we can reuse or if we're lucky, open from our stock pile of school supplies, or even make look new again from an older sibling.
     School supply shopping should be a super fun time, (at least it was when I was growing up) but as a mom of 4, it's not so exciting anymore!
     I usually pick up odds and ends throughout the year, online, offline, anywhere I see a pack of markers, pens, paper clips, erasers, anything that I can use in my office or for crafts, I'll grab it! We sometimes end up with little crates filled to the brim with pencils, but no sharpener in site. That's when I grab 1 of my piles of sticky notes or to do list tablets and start making a priority list of what we need asap! (I don't know why it's been so hard to find a decent, dependable sharpener over the years) They just don't make them the same anymore.
    Of course, with all of my top secret cubby holes and little office crates, we end up with way more then we need. Which is a good thing, because we are always gathering supplies for children who may not be able to go to the stores and grab the cute butterfly erasers, scratch and sniff stickers, pencils, folders, binders, and the character backpack of their dreams.
    This year is especially fun, because we partnered with Madame Deals and Ebates, and we are participating with their #GivingBackPack event.
    Lucky bloggers, such as moi!, were given a very important task.....Find a backpack and stuff it with school supplies, as much as you can for $25. We love challenges and we love donating to our community so it's been a blessing to be a part of this awesome event!
     I posted on my personal Facebook account, asking my friends to message me about any local school kids who may be in need of a backpack filled to the brim. (We usually take some to the guidance office at the elementary school each year) but we wanted to first try and find somebody nearby, so we could maybe cater the supplies to him or hers, liking. I received a message from a friend, about her granddaughter who will be starting kindergarten this year. Of course, Genevive was more then happy to help with this task!

    We found out that this little girl loves the movie, Frozen, so we searched online for a Frozen backpack. 
    Of course, I logged into my Ebates account, and started hunting. 
    I had to shop on Toysrus.com for my 11 year old son's birthday, so I checked there.....
    Toys R Us had a special deal, get a free lunch kit when you buy a backpack!! (SWEET!!)
    Genevive picked the backpack and lunch kit, (she's 7 and also loves Frozen!)
    The backpack was $16.99, the lunch kit was free, free shipping, (since I had other items), and 1% cash back from Ebates!! 
    Besides all of that awesomeness, I had a $5 reward on my Toys R Us card!!

    Between The Dollar Store, Walmart (online through Ebates, of course) and our stockpile, we had so much, we barely fit it all in!









    We spent $11.99 on the backpack and lunch kit,  $8 on Walmart.com, the extra  from CVS and The Dollar Store, (totaled $5) and we threw in the glitter glue pack, some lip balms, stickers, a couple pencils I picked up at Rite Aid for 10 cents and Genevive had the bright idea to fill her Frozen lunch kit with some extra snacks that we receive from subscription boxes, case purchases and review opportunities.
    We did go a little over our $25, due to the items we added from our stock at home. But even if I add those items up, it maybe would've cost another $5.
    We are delivering her backpack tomorrow afternoon, since I am a friend of her grandmothers, and Genevive is so anxious to meet her new Frozen fan friend, she has not been able to stop squealing and jumping up and down since she helped create this overstuffed, little girls dream come true!
    The boys wanted to help with this project, which they did! We will be delivering 4 other backpacks to the school, Monday, and they are in charge of filling those up.

    We had a lot of fun with this project, I am very grateful for Madame Deals and Ebates for allowing us to be a part of this.
    We love helping our community and have always believed that ALL children deserve new school supplies!
    I have been a member of Ebates for a long, long time, and although I forget to log on sometimes, I always love shopping online and I usually always remember Ebates the second I'm ready to check out. (I desperately need to remember to log on!) I am usually doing 20 things at once, of course!
    You absolutely have to sign up if you shop online! I am a member of many, many, many cash back sites and Ebates has always had the most and the best retailers available.
    Oh, one more thing! Not only do you have cash back from Ebates, but retailers sometimes have some very nice discounts and coupon codes available to Ebates members!
    Ebates – Where it Pays to Shop Online. Ebates is the pioneer and leader of online cash back shopping. Ebates pays members cash back every time they shop online as well as provide them with the best coupons and deals online. Founded in 1998, Ebates Inc.’s websites have paid over $250 million in cash to its members. That’s why millions of people have joined Ebates. Sign up today!!