Huggies CleanTeam!
By Marisa | May 5, 2008
If you’ve been reading along here for at least the past several months, you know that Kendyll is now past her second birthday and beginning to get comfortable with the potty. So much fun!
If I’ve learned anything from raising 6 kids, it’s that kids love to play in the water. They also love soap and foamy stuff. They love animals. So if you want your kid to clean up, make it fun and make them think they’re playing. Someone at Huggies must be a mother because their new Cleanteam line combines gentle cleaning with fun packaging for a sure-fire hit.
When Kendyll took her bath she insisted on bringing her new hand soap with her. Henry is the purple Hippo who helps keep kids clean. Granny had to hold Henry and help a little since Kendyll was a little slippery in the tub but the bottle is designed so that when placed on the side of the sink, it pumps easily.
Kendyll could have played all day with Henry, until it foamed no more. Huggies, though, must have thought of that because they included a locking mechanism for the pump. A simple turn of Henry’s head and the foamy pump was locked. Kendyll tried to push the pump but all Henry would do is flash his light at her. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Henry’s head has a flashing light that helps your child to keep washing for a full 20 seconds. That really helps when you’re teaching kids about good hygiene.
Kendyll has been blessed (or is it cursed) with curls just like Granny. Most tear-free shampoos are very mild but not very conditioning. Huggies Cleanteam shampoo is the exception. Sammy Snake is an extra conditioning shampoo that kept Kendyll’s curls under control.
Kendyll was especially mesmerized by Sammy because her dad had just caught a snake while fishing that day. He brought it home for all to see and of course, Kendyll was fascinated. (Don’t worry, it isn’t venomous and it’s just a wee baby.) Sammy Snake shampoo obviously has a special place in Kendyll’s heart. Sammy has a partner, Daphne Dolphin, who helps to detangle hair. I’m going to be searching for Daphne when I go to the store this week. Curly hair gets very tangled very easily.
I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of Kendyll using her flushable wipes. Potty time comes and goes quickly and we’re still at that hit and miss stage. I can tell you that the best thing about the Freddy Flamingo flushable wipes is that I don’t have to worry about clogging my toilet when Kendyll drops them in. We found out several weeks ago that other wipes are NOT flushable! These are perfect for the transition from diapers to potty.
I don’t know if this is normal (or if I should even admit it) but I’m enjoying these adorable characters as much as Kendyll is. I’ve actually used Henry Hippo foaming Hand Soap a few times when I’ve gone into the bathroom. The 20 second flashing light reminds me to slow down and wash my hands completely, too. I guess Grandmothers are just little girls at heart, huh?
Topics: Kids | 3 Comments »
More RAM Please
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
When I got home yesterday the FedEx driver was delivering a package to my neighbor Tammie. I was so excited! I knew it had to be the laptop memory stick she ordered. That meant that I’d get to play with some computer innards.
Before leaving for work today, Tammie stopped by with her laptop and the FedEx package so I could get to work on the upgrade. Tammie had been running on 256MB RAM, if you can believe it. Yes, it was slow.
I had a lot of running around to do today but as soon as I came home and settled in, I got to work on Tammie’s laptop. It took about 5 minutes, mostly because I couldn’t find the right screwdriver. The computer booted and recognized the new memory. I can’t wait for Tammie to try it out!
Topics: tech | 2 Comments »
Hello High Speed
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
YAY!!!! In preparation for the high definition cable that we’ll be getting next year, my cable company will be rolling out cable internet in the next month or so. I am so happy!
I’ve suffered through Verizon’s hideous DSL for way too long. I’ve gotten headaches trying to maneuver through their phone system to get to tech support people who barely speak English. I know my cable company because they’re located right here, just a few miles from my home. I know the people who work in the office. I know I can understand them.
Now I have to prepare for the switch. I’ve been pricing HDTVs, blue-ray devices and HDMI cables. I’m looking around my living room for the perfect place for my new gear. Mostly, though, I’ll just be so happy to get rid of this awful DSL.
Topics: Electronics | No Comments »
Your Dad Built This
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
We took a drive last week and I caught myself pointing out to the kids all the houses that their dad built. My husband bricked quite a few very nice homes in this valley over the past few decades, many that the younger kids had never seen.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that one house, a stately white brick, now had black vinyl shutters instead of the previous kelly green ones. I never did understand how anyone could choose that shade of green to put on such a beautiful home.
If I take Maggie and her friend to the mall this weekend, I think we may take a detour to see some of the homes that Brian did in Ohio in the early 90s. I know Maggie never saw them and I’d love to take a look again. It’s been a very long time.
Topics: Construction, Family | No Comments »
Oh, My Skin!
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
I don’t know if I’m under more stress right now or if my body is just playing a really mean trick on me, but I’m breaking out like a teenager. This is crazy!
I’ve never had really good skin but since switching to mineral makeup, I’ve remained relatively clear. This past week, though, has turned my face into one huge eruption. I never thought I’d be searching for an acne treatment at this age.
I think I’m going to steam my face tonight to get out all the impurities and then I’ll massage extra virgin olive oil into my skin for healing. Hopefully, that will take care of it. I think I have a little Galbanum Essential Oil left so I might mix a drop of that in the olive oil, too.
I think this acne might be some kind of message that I’m behaving like a child about something. Or is my skin just going haywire, rebelling against getting old?
Topics: Beauty | No Comments »
Simple Is Better
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
Back when I was younger, I wore a lot of jewelry. I went through phases like my silver and turquoise phase or my precious gem phase.
Naturally, there was a diamond phase, too, but I could neve afford as many diamonds as I would have liked. For a little while I was really into crosses and other religious jewelry but that didn’t last long. Not enough variety, maybe.
Right now, I wear almost no jewelry. I wear my wedding ring set and my birthstone ring and that’s it. No necklace, no bracelets. I don’t even wear my Mother’s ring because Levi’s stone, a tiny pearl, fell out. I used to feel naked without several pounds of jewelry hanging on me. When did all that change?
Topics: Fashion | No Comments »
The Better To See You
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
I have strange eyesight. I’m going to be 50 this year and yet I have perfect reading vision. So far. I just can’t see anything more than 3 feet from my face
I’ve worn glasses for nearsightedness since 4th grade. I could never read when wearing my glasses though; I had to remove my glasses to read a book or write on paper but put them on to see the blackboard. My mom was like that for a long time, too. In fact, her eye doctor gave her half-glasses; he cut off the bottom half so that she had to only look down to read or up to see a far distance, rather than having to remove her glasses all day at work.
Anyway, I wear contact lenses when I’m going to be out but at home I use my glasses. That’s because I can’t see the computer screen with my contacts unless I wear those cheap glasses they sell at the drug store for reading.
As much as I want to have lasik surgery on my eyes so I won’t need glasses or contacts for distance vision, I’m afraid that I will need reading glasses for computer work or reading. I’m not sure which is worse. Maybe I’m just destined to have imperfect vision.
Topics: Health | No Comments »
Traveling In Style
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
When Brian decided to go to Hawaii to work, it was kind of sudden. He had less than a full week to decide, pack and go. That’s fast. I’m not sure where most of our luggage had gone over the past year but all I could find that quickly was MY luggage. So guess what Brian took with him? Yep. My luggage.
We both agreed that I’d keep my eyes open for good deals on new luggage but I just can’t seem to find what I want. I did see a Delsey carry on that might work but I was hoping to buy a two piece set rather than each piece separately. I’m trying to do this as economically as possible.
I think the carryon is the biggest challenge. I need to have a place for my laptop but it also has to double as an overnight case since I’ve ended up in Hawaii without my main suitcase - and a change of clothes - before. There is no way I want to go through that again!
I’m sure I’ll find the right luggage eventually. I’m just getting excited, planning for this trip.
Topics: Travel | No Comments »
My Day Is Coming
By Marisa | April 24, 2008
It’s almost Mother’s Day. Every year for Mother’s Day in May and for my birthday in November, I do a few things just for me. For one, I color my hair. Yes, I do that twice each year. I now have about two dozen gray hairs so I think I may have to start color a little more often than every 6 months, though.
I also get my first and last pedicure of the season on these two dates. The timing works out well and I’m really looking forward to my pedicure next month. I try to be good to my inside health, too, so I make sure to do a colon cleanse every May and November, combined with a cleansing fast.
In 2001, I got my first and only tattoo as a Mother’s Day gift to myself but I have no plans to do that again. Some years I buy makeup or tech gadgets, too. This year, I’m keeping it simple.
Topics: Life | No Comments »
Window Dressing
By Marisa | April 23, 2008
Boomer and I stopped at the store yesterday, on the way home from school, to look at new curtains for his room. We didn’t find curtains that either of us liked but I did find these interesting roller shades that I’m going to try.
The shades were all one size but the box claims that they’re very easy to cut down to size. Most interesting was that they hang without any extra hardware. They’re sticky! I’d never seen shades like that. I don’t know how well they’ll stick or stay up, but I figured it was worth a shot.
So I bought two shades and I’m going to hang them in my bedroom. I have nice draperies in there but the sheers underneath are old and should be replaced. If these shades stick and stay, I may just toss the sheers.
Topics: Home Decor | No Comments »
