The Top 5 Summer Staycation Tips From MommyDocs And Mom Central

Times are tough right now. People everywhere are learning to do more with less, by spending smarter and looking into alternative options. Many people are giving up their summer vacations and instead finding fun things to do at and near home. With more time being spent in and around the home, more than 60% of moms recently surveyed by Clorox said they were doing more cooking and cleaning around the home than ever.

Mom Central and MommyDocs got together to discuss how moms can keep their houses cleaner and their children safer while staycationing this summer. Here are their Top 5 Tips for Summer Staycations.

• Staying Safe at BBQs - According to a recent survey, 70 percent of Moms are cooking more at home and many are likely switching up their meal routine with an outdoor BBQ. Make sure your kids have a safe BBQ experience by keeping them away from the flames and any sharp knives. Also, don’t forget to check that your child’s hamburger is fully cooked. Always keep a thermometer on hand to be sure all food has reached the appropriate inside temperature.
• Keep the Pool Cool and Clean - If your kids love to spend hot afternoons in kiddie pools, you know the importance of cleaning the pool area. Dump out water after each session, and keep the pool clean by disinfecting it with a solution of ¾ cup bleach* to one gallon of water. Don’t forget to rinse well and dry thoroughly after each cleaning (never leave any water in the pool). Be sure to always supervise children when they are in or around any water. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)
• Staying Healthy and Hydrated - Spending time in the heat means kids will be more prone to becoming dehydrated. Remind kids to take frequent rest/drink breaks in the shade when playing outside and try to avoid activity during peak sun hours. Encourage fluids before, during, and after outside activities.
• Having Peace of Mind at Playgrounds - Sometimes just getting out of the house is the best way to keep it clean, but before letting kids loose at the playground, ensure the safety of the equipment. Swing seats and slides can really heat up in the sun - test them out before your kids hop on to avoid burns. Be sure the playground surface is composed of a soft material to help prevent injury. All playground equipment should be routinely checked for any broken or loose parts. As always, adult supervision is a must at all times!
• Saving on Spills - Spending extra time around the house, especially with kids, often means more spills to clean up. Synthetic sponges and kitchen cloths can start to smell and carry bacteria, but you don’t have to toss them out after a few uses. One option to reduce bacteria is to sanitize sponges and dishrags by soaking them in a bleach solution (¾ cup of bleach* to a gallon of water) for 5 minutes in the sink. Don’t forget to rinse and dry when done. A wet sponge can also be microwaved to get rid of bacteria. (* Always remember to read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products)

Hopefully you’ll find these tips helpful. If you have any other tips I’d love to hear them.

Thank you MommyDocs and Mom Central for letting me share these tips with my readers.

Wordless Wednesday - Happy 10th Birthday Baby!

Thanks for stopping by! If you have a picture up for Wordless Wednesday, leave your link below on Mr. Linky! Then head on over to Here And There, What’s That Smell, Wordless Wednesday, Go Graham Go, 5 Minutes for Mom and The Not-So-Blog Blog for more wordless fun!

Heads Or Tails 97

This weeks Heads Or Tails theme is HEADS - “Tool”.

Going back a number of years I got it in my head that I wanted a couple of my own tools. I was tired of always asking RB where a tool was or if I could use it. I bought myself a light hammer with an attractive reddish leather handle. It was a nice looking hammer, as far as hammers go, but not overly feminine. It kept getting used but hubby always said he didn’t use it. It then disappeared, and of course noone owned up to taking it. It’s been a year or so now and once again I’m tired of hunting down a tool to use. I’m going to buy a pink hammer this time around, so that certain male persons won;t be so quick to take it.

If you want to learn more about this fun meme or play along, visit Heads Or Tails.

Raising The Bar No Child’s Left Behind On TNT

I remember when I was about fifteen and dating my Mom would tease me, telling me she was going to show boys I brought home my baby pictures. Sounds innocent, right? It was. The pictures were of me as a baby, naked on my belly on a little rug. I always begged her not to show them to the boys because I didn’t want to be embarrassed by a boy seeing my behind. In reality the picture was no big deal. I recall many of my friends telling me their parents had similar pictures. It was the thing back then. Anyway. I’ve seen the picture, there’s nothing sexual about it. In fact, my Mom asked me a month or so ago if she could put it on her blog. I told her yes and it’s still there. I didn’t give the picture another thought until I previewed this week’s episode of Raising The Bar.

Raising The Bar’s “No Child’s Left Behind” will air tonight, Monday June 29 at 10 pm est. In this episode a father is arrested when a photo he took of his young son in the bathtub winds up on a child pornography site. Jerry finds himself representing a client who does not feel sorry and won’t accept a plea because he feels nothing wrong. I won’t tell you the outcome of the case, it’s better if you watch the whole thing yourself.

As a parent and a blogger I felt this episode of Raising The Bar hit very close to home. It definitely provided food for thought. It also provided for some open conversation between RB, our 13 year old TJ and myself. We all felt that the father (the defendant) was not guilty. RB and I agreed that if we had taken a photo of our child in a similar situation we would not publicize it. TJ felt that a nude photo is inappropriate until the subject is old enough to answer for themselves if they want it taken. We all felt that the system should definitely go after the people who purposely posted the picture on the porn site, not the father even though he took the picture. The father only took the picture because he saw it as a way to capture his son’s joy. If we start censoring our photos aren’t we censoring our memories in a way?

Take a peek at tonight’s episode and decide for yourself.

Please tune in tonight to TNT and watch this episode of Raising The Bar. It will provide you some important food for thought. I would love to hear your thoughts on sharing personal family photos on the internet. What photos do you think are inappropriate? Should parents that share photos should be considered guilty if their photos fall into the wrong hands. If you were a member of the Raising The Bar jury would you have voted innocent or guilty?

Vlasic Capture The Cutest Crunch Contest And Giveaway

Do you remember the Vlasic Stork? I remember seeing those commercials all the time. I loved his accent almost as much as the pickles. We all love pickles in our house. Our hands down favorite is Vlasic, because they have the best flavor and the most crunch. I love that they always taste fresh, not soft or soggy. Vlasic is currently holding a photo contest and the winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to New York City, $1,000 and a one-year supply of Vlasic Pickles. Here’s info about the contest. Don’t rush away after reading it, there’s a giveaway at the end

CAN YOU CAPTURE “THE CUTEST CRUNCH”?

Enter the Vlasic Pickles “Capture the Cutest Crunch Contest” and Win BIG

Deadline October 31, 2009!

MOUNTAIN LAKESNJ (May 2009) – One of America’s timeless icons, the Vlasic® Stork, is delivering a new opportunity right to your doorstep. Vlasic® Pickles is in search of a photo displaying the cutest crunch. The person who submits the winning photo will receive an all expenses paid trip to New York City, $1,000 and a one-year supply of Vlasic Pickles.

There’s nothing like a crunchy Vlasic pickle, which is why in 2008 we launched the first ever Vlasic Crunch-Off’ tour,” said Senior Brand Manager of Vlasic Pickles Stefan Aps. “People of all ages from across the country came out to these events to show off their loudest pickle crunch. We captured so many great pictures at those events and we loved the enthusiasm we saw…we want more!”

Entering is easy! Go to www.vlasic.com and click on the “Contests” section to submit a photo of your “cutest crunch” into a Vlasic Pickle, or send your entry to: “Capture the Cutest Crunch” Contest, c/o BHG PR, 546 Valley Rd., Upper Montclair, New Jersey 07043 All entries must be received by October 31, 2009. No purchase is required to win. Visit http://vlasic.com/cutestcrunch/OfficialRules.pdf for contest rules.

About Vlasic® Pickles

Vlasic® is available in nine key segments including Kosher Dill Spears, Bread and Butter Chips, Ovals, Sweet Gherkins, Large and Small Whole Dills, Stackers, Relish and Peppers. Look for the familiar Stork character on the bottle in supermarkets near you. Always crunchy and juicy, Vlasic® offers all the great flavor and are low in calories and fat.  For more information about Vlasic® pickles, please visit www.vlasic.com.

WIN IT!

Six winners will each receive a $3.50 coupon good for the purchase of Vlasic Pickles. Basically, that’s at least one free jar!

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite kind of pickle is and if you’re planning on entering the contest.

BONUS ENTRIES - LOTS OF THEM!

1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed.
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here.
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
1 - Friend me on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/valmg
1 - Fave this blog at Technorati AND leave your Technorati name here.
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog.
1 - Visit  HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Sunday 07/05/09 at 11:59 pm est.  If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won.  Good luck to everyone! Members of my own family are not eligible to win but are still welcome to leave a comment.

Exergen Temporal Scanner Review And Giveaway

Taking my nine year old CJ’s temperature is a pain in the butt. He doesn’t like having his temperature taken. It’s impossible to take it orally because he just can’t keep it under his tongue correctly for the right amount of time. We have an ear thermometer but he doesn’t like people messing with his ears so it never goes well. Plus, ear thermometers aren’t always accurate in children with small ear canals, which many children with Down Syndrome including CJ have. Then there’s my nails. They always seem to get in the way on the thermometer we have, causing an error. Like I said, a real pain in the butt. Now you know why I was really excited to review an Exergen Temporal Scanner.

From the website - “The creator of the first temporal artery thermometer, the Temporal ScannerTM, the most efficacious, non-invasive thermometer ever created. Exergen holds over 100 U.S. and foreign patents, and is the only manufacturer of retail medical thermometers in the U.S. Presently, 30% of hospitals and pediatricians currently use the Exergen Temporal Scanner, and well over 1 million consumers use one at home. … The Temporal Scanner Thermometer is a totally non-invasive system with advanced infrared technology providing maximum ease of use with quick, consistently accurate measurements. Advanced, patented technology measures temperatures with a gentle stroke across the forehead. The Temporal Scanner Thermometer has been clinically tested for accuracy compared to rectal thermometers and temperature sensors inserted in the heart during course of patient treatment and accepted for use in major hospitals, making it the ideal thermometer for use with newborns, infants, children or adults.”

Let me translate. The Exergen Temporal Scanner is an infrared thermometer that you use on the forehead, over the temporal artery. The temporal artery in your head is connected directly to your heart via the carotid artery. Arterial temperatures are considered more accurate than ones taken by ear or under the arm because it is based on the blood flowing from the heart. It works by taking approximately 1,000 readings per second and then selecting the most accurate.  This thermometer makes monitoring a fever easier because it will register body temperature changes more quickly than a regular thermometer.

The thermometer operates on a single 9 volt battery. The thermometer turns itself off after 30 seconds to preserve battery life. Then replace the cap to protect the sensor.There’s a low battery indicator that will tell you when it’s time to replace the battery with a new one.

The Exergen Temporal Scanner is really easy to use. You just remove the cap, place the scanner on the middle of the forehead and slide the scanner across to the hairline while holding the button. When you reach the hairline you release the button and remove the scanner and then read the temperature. It only takes a couple of seconds to read the temperature. The Exergen is perfect for all family members, not just children. Children will love it because it’s completely non-invasive.

This thermometer is awesome. The display is easy to read. It’s so easy to use. I even tested it a number of times on several of us and the results were never widely different, like the times I’ve used our ear thermometer. I had this review scheduled for next week. Two days after it arrived my youngest son CJ was telling us his head hurt. When I went to stroke his forehead he felt like he was on fire. I grabbed the Exergen and a pair of scissors and cut open the package. I put in the battery and turned it on and took his temp. When it read almost 102 habit kicked in and I thought I might have gotten a bad reading so I took it three more times. The temp remained the same. We called the doctor, who had us bring him right in. Ten minutes later we were in the office and their reading was only a tenth of a degree difference (and that could have been the temp changing during that time). I totally love this thermometer and doubt I’ll ever have a need to use that old ear thermometer again.

The Exergen Temporal Scanner retails for about $30.00. There is a $5.00 mail-in-rebate available to print on the Exergen website. It is available to purchase nationwide at retailers including Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, Costco, Babies R Us, Toys R Us and Sam’s Club. It is also available at Amazon.com. The thermometer has a three year warranty. The package includes the thermometer, a 9-volt battery, the protective cap, a users manual and a quick-start guide.

Thanks to Exergen, for allowing me to review your terrific product.

WIN IT!

One winner will receive an Exergen Temporal Scanner.

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter leave a comment on this post telling me how you currently take your child’s temperature and why you’d like to try this thermometer.

BONUS ENTRIES - LOTS OF THEM!

1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed.
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here.
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
1 - Friend me on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/valmg
1 - Fave this blog at Technorati AND leave your Technorati name here.
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog.
1 - Visit  HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Sunday 07/05/09 at 11:59 pm est.  If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won.  Good luck to everyone! Members of my own family are not eligible to win but are still welcome to leave a comment.

Domino’s American Legends House Party And Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago I learned that I had been selected to host a Domino’s House Party. How cool is that! I scheduled it so that my whole family could attend. The party was to celebrate my son CJ’s 10th birthday, a belated Father’s Day for my Dad, my brother LB2 and his fiancee moving in together and my brother LB3 coming home for a week’s leave from the Navy.

Domino’s sent me a $75 Domino’s gift card so that I could get one of each of the American Legends pizzas. They also sent me a fun card game called You Gotta Be Kiddin and some items for my guests -  coupons for the American Legends pizzas, coupons for $2 off Zobmondo games and coupons for a free popcorn with purchase of drink at the movies.

I phoned in my order. I ordered 1 each of the American Legends pizzas -  Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, Memphis BBQ Chicken Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Honolulu Hawaiian Pizza, Fiery Hawaiian Pizza and Pacific Veggie Pizza - all on hand tossed crust. I also ordered 1 plain, 1 sausage and 1 pepperoni pizza. Halfway through the order the young man asked me if I was having a party or something - I told him I was. Before I was finished ordering he asked me if I was joking around - I assured him I was not. After I hung up I got a call back verifying the order was real. I went to pick up my pizzas and found them waiting, hot and fresh, and two of the store employees even helped me carry it all out to the truck.

Let me tell you a bit about the pizzas and what we thought. I took pictures of each but some came out too blurry to use. I stink at food photography!

Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza - Succulent chicken breast, white sauce, smoked bacon and tomatoes on a provolone crust.

My brother LB3 and I LOVED this one! The ranch flavor is awesome. Mom liked it but wasn’t accustomed to a pizza without red sauce. We all agreed we would have liked to have a little more bacon on it. This one’s a classic in the making.

Pacific Veggie Pizza - Roasted red peppers, spinach, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and black olives with feta and provolone cheeses on a parmesan crust.

This was RB’s favorite! We ordered it without mushrooms, as he can’t have mushrooms, and he thought it was just right.

Philly Cheese Steak Pizza - Tender slices of steak, onions, green peppers and mushrooms with provolone and American cheeses on a provolone crust.

RB liked this one but thought it would have been better on the thin crust and with a little more meat. TJ also thought it would be best with a little more meat.

Memphis BBQ Chicken Pizza - Tender chicken breast, BBQ sauce and onions with provolone and cheddar cheeses on a cheddar crust.

RB really enjoyed this one, he thought it was just great the way it is.  I liked it also - I was afraid it would be hot but rather, it was sweet. LB3 and I agreed that the flavor of this one reminded us of pulled chicken. Word to the wise, this one’s a little messy!

Honolulu Hawaiian Pizza - Sliced ham, bacon, pineapple and roasted red peppers with provolone cheese on a parmesan crust.

Mom liked this one. It was the first time ever she’d had pineapple on a pizza and thought the sweet taste was interesting. It was also the first time I’d had pineapple on a pizza and I liked it (after taking the roasted red peppers off).

Fiery Hawaiian Pizza - Sliced ham, smoked bacon, juicy pineapple, roasted red peppers, jalapeños, hot sauce, provolone cheese and mozzarella cheese on a cheesy parmesan crust.

Big Uncle liked this one. He said the taste was good and it looked very festive when served. RB thought this one was HOT! TJ thought the pizza was ok but wished it was just a little hotter.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza - Tender chicken breast, hot sauce, and onions with provolone and American cheeses on a cheddar crust.

LB3 thought this was good but not spicy enough. Big Uncle thought it was just right.

A big thanks to Domino’s and HouseParty.com for selecting me to host a HouseParty! My family had an interesting and memorable night.

WIN IT!

I have ten $2 off coupons for Zobmondo games (available at Target). The coupons expire in 2010.

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter my giveaway leave a comment on this post telling me which of the American Legends Pizzas (all listed above) you’d most like to try.

BONUS ENTRIES

1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here.
1 - Tweet this giveaway.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Saturday 07/04/09 at 11:59 pm est.  If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won.  Good luck to everyone! Members of my own family are not eligible to win but are still welcome to leave a comment.