The Ranks of the UnInsured Are Going Up

According to the Daily News, the ranks of the uninsured are going up. Read the article here: http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_11240815?IADID=Search-www.dailynews.com-www.dailynews.com

If you are uninsured or under-insured let AmeriPlan help you save as much as 80% on your health care. There's lots more info at http://www.BenefitsByRosie.com

Health Care Costs will be going up

According to a survey of insurers by Aon Consulting Worldwide reported on August 11, 2008 health care costs are expected to rise more than 10 percent into next year. Yes, that's right - just as insurance companies pay out less and less, prices are going up and up. But you can save up to 80% on your health care costs as a member of AmeriPlan. Sign up online at http://www.BenefitsByRosie.com

Something's Fishy In Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California, July 28, 2006 -- This weekend my family explored the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, which is run by Heal the Bay at the Santa Monica Pier. Filled with oversized tanks, tiny tanks, an open-topped shark tank and even touch tanks, the aquarium gave us an up-close, hands-on lesson in undersea life in Santa Monica Bay. There were coloring pages and crafts set out for us to explore, face painting and a Kids Corner with puppets, a puppet theater and lots and lots of books about the creatures around us. Many informative, friendly people with nametags were stationed by the exhibits and were eager to tell us all sorts of interesting facts about the ocean and the inhabitants of the aquarium.

Shark feeding times are posted on the chalkboard out front. There was also a conservation area where my oldest child, Beloved Offspring #1, read about how long things take to break down and what our human pollution does to the waters of our planet. Educational movies were showing in the Santa Monica Bay Room, and the co-ed family friendly restrooms were equipped with water-saving dual flush toilets.

One chilling fact we learned was that the beach water at Santa Monica almost always earns an "F" rating, while other beaches along the Los Angeles coastline earn much better scores. We wished we had heard this BEFORE letting our Beloved Offspring frolic in the waves for a few hours earlier in the day.

The aquarium offers a fun and informative destination for school field trips and groups, as well as birthday party packages. There is also an Aquadoption Program where you can adopt a sea creature and get all sorts of great perks. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 for anyone over age 12, and 42 for kids. Admission is free with the Go L.A.! card. The aquarium's hours vary by season so call 310-393-6149 or check the website, www.healthebay.org/smpa.

DESPERATE HOUSEMOMS

Most moms have trouble managing their time. When Beloved Offspring #2 and #3 were infants (they came as a set) I brought them to the YMCA Child Watch. I wasn’t virtuously working off that baby weight, some days that was the only time I could manage to take a shower. I was very proud of my resourcefulness – my precious babies were being watched and I was finally (if briefly) clean of spit-up and had a few moments to myself. Another mommy friend (also a mommy to twins and a singleton) told me that during a recent bout of a bad virus that swept through her entire family the only way she could get any rest and recover was to drag herself to the ER!

Surely The End Is Near...

While going about my housework and dinner prep I found myself bopping along to an old, familiar tune. My kids were dutifully watching PBS, and there was a commercial on for a show. The costumed characters, Barney, Baby Bop and others I am proud to say I don't recognize, were happily dancing and singing. Then the 80s part of my brain kicked in (it's a little slow these days) and sent me the missing information; Song Title: I Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode!!!!!! I suggest we all get our affairs in order!

Hollywood Makes Good

Thanks to a generous grant from the Anne and Kirk Douglas Foundation, Emelita St. Elementary School officially opened its new playground on the main yard this morning. William and the 1st graders sang a song with hand choreography and there were lots of speeches. And yes, Kirk Douglas was there telling stories and jokes, singing songs and leading the kids onto the new equipment. He even went down the slide! This was the Foundation’s 396th playground dedication and he has been at every single one! In fact, this was the first one his wife had to miss. Their goal is to do 400 playgrounds and then they will be finished. Mr. Douglas will turn 91 on Sunday. Let’s all hope and pray that we can continue to contribute to society with so much energy and joy into our 90s!!

Antique-ing

I've heard that some antique dealers try to pass off phony items by aging them, or antique-ing them. They stain them, add dents and marks and even have special tools that simulate worm holes. To any antique dealers who might be reading this, please know that I'd be happy to rent out my antique-ing crew - two hungry sons with forks.

An Exercise in Futility

I'm really trying to make an effort to keep the house cleaner these days - and do more exercise. I spent yesterday morning aerobic-sweeping the floor, and the rest of the afternoon picking up all those straw broom bits - lots of deep-knee bends!

Irony

My neighbor told me she is on a new medication that makes you not want to spend money...but it's expensive. I guess that helps you tell it's working.

Spring Cleaning Your Cosmetics

This season of renewal is the perfect time to go through your makeup, cosmetics and skin care and purge what might be spoiled, turned or contaminated. Some products have an expiration date printed on them, but that is only a guideline. The way products are stored and handled may make them separate or become filled with bacteria way before that date, or even last longer than that date if you’re careful with them.

Eye products have the shortest open shelf life, and some experts suggest replacing mascara every three months. As you can see, some experts don’t wear mascara very often because if they did they would know most mascaras run out way before then. And it’s a big no-no to add water or any other solvent to extend your supply. That’s right – they’re watching you.

Here are some basic rules for storing and handling cosmetics:

Keep them in a cool, dry place – that doesn’t mean a chic spot that lost its liquor license.

Avoid extreme temperatures, like sweltering in the car in the summer.

Use clean hands and utensils when applying. Yes, you have to wash your makeup brushes regularly.

Don’t share. If your friend has just got to try that color, put some on a fresh cotton swab or tissue for her protection (and yours).

Use common sense. If it has changed color, scent or consistency since you opened it you’re better safe than sorry you caused a nasty eye infection.

It’s probably time to say goodbye to a product if it falls into any of these categories:

• It seemed like a good idea at the time you bought it

• The color might come back into style some day

• You wore it because you got a compliment on it once time….from your ex

• The lady at the return counter assured you it’s supposed to make your skin react that way

What's In A Name?

Dinner is always a challenge around here. Something happens around 4pm - suddenly everyone needs mommy, and only being attached like a barnacle will appease my three beloved offspring. This makes it difficult to get around the kitchen. Luckily my kitchen is extremely small. Tonight we are having Blackened Chicken. Somehow I didn't think it sounded appetizing to tell them it was burned.

News Flash

Waiting for half an hour to ride a tiny train in an overcrowded theme park with three beloved but overly stimulated offspring (including one toddler with an ear infection) and an impatient husband makes said park the most miserable place on Earth. Well, except for the store dressing rooms in the bathing suit section.

Strange Bedfellows

Thanks to some large-scale home improvements, all three of my beloved offspring have been sleeping in my room for some time now. Most nights Beloved Offspring #3 snoozes in his crib beside my bed, leaving me to battle #1 and #2 for a bit of pillow and a speck of sheet. But many nights #3 joins the party, and we shuffle and resettle frequently. I remember seeing all three umbilical cords being cut at the time of each delivery, but for some reason it is not enough for them to be sleeping with me - they have to be sleeping ON me. The Chinese got it wrong - surely this is the Year of the Possum.

A Quick Pick-Me-Up

I recently bought a new Bali bra through Avon. It's a very uplifting experience! Now if only I could get my husband to be so supportive.

I Don't Have The Genes for Jeans

Originally posted on The Health Blog, 12/28/05

This morning I read that carmakers are starting to make the seats bigger to fit the expanding American bottom line. Which leads me to ask, “When is the fashion industry going to get the memo?” Specifically, I am referring to the folks who make jeans.

I spent a frustrating morning shopping for denim. Although I am far from a waif, I am also much smaller than the Plus Size category. For now, anyway. I’m just your average height-challenged fairly fit mother of three. I headed for a store that specializes in jeans with different fits, thinking surely something there would work for me. When I liked the way the pants looked around my knees and thighs, the waist was flapping in the breeze. When the waist was right there was so much extra material I thought it was Hammer Time. I tried the Curvy fit, the Petite length, the Boot Cut, the Flared Leg and even the Ridiculously-Overpriced-So-Certainly-They-Must-Look-Fabulous Cut. I returned home even more faithfully devoted to my leggings and sweats. As far as jeans go, I’ll wait until they come out with the Thunder Thigh Leg, the Ample Room in Trunk Cut or the Mommy-Tummy Rise.

Carmaker article at: http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/business/article.adp?id=20051228075109990009

My Son, The Jedi

As a parent, I feel it is my job to gently guide my beloved offspring in life, so I try not to force my own personal tastes on them. In one area of my life I have been especially careful about this – Star Wars. Sadly, most of my treasures have been sold off or given away as my need for space (and money) demanded. Even so, I haven’t actually hidden my passion for the saga from my children – they have certainly found the remaining DVDs, videos, books and other collectibles on their explorations of their environment (not to mention my childhood blanket which now covers the window in the room my sons share and the matching pillow I try to make comfortable when I am called in for nightmare duty). Maybe I was planning to hold off until they reach the age I was when it took over my life. I’m not sure I would have held out that long, but certainly the films are not age-appropriate for babies. But I did start a little collection of Young Jedi training books from Episode one. Not exactly a hand-me-down lightsabre from a long lost parent, but it’s a start.

One day I was with the then-three-year-old Beloved Offspring #1 in Blockbuster. The store was running a Star Wars promotion, complete with a six-foot cardboard standup of Vader’s mask. I was headed out the door when I heard that squeaky little voice pipe up. “Look, mommy, Star Wars!” For a moment I was more frozen than Han Solo inside that block of carbonite. And yes, I was very proud. But this had happened without my input…so how exactly had this happened? He told me that he had seen some Star Wars toys at school, courtesy of Burger King. In fact, his friends at school like Star Wars a lot, and did I know there was a golden robot in it? Yes, I knew. And did I know Star Wars (Darth Vader) was a little scary and did mean things? Yes, I knew that, too, and a thousand other little bits of trivia that would mean nothing to a three-year-old so I shut up.

Fast forward. Now Beloved Offspring #1 is four and a half. One night he hit me with this, in a conspiratorial whisper: Mom, did you know that Anakin is Skywalker’s father? Yes, I did. I left out the part about waiting for three years for that little cliffhanger to be resolved (thanks a lot, George Lucas!). He launched into a full-body reenactment of how Anakin fought the “Roger Roger” robots. I wished for popcorn. When he was finished – or exhausted, I’m not sure which – we had a nice little talk about why people (Anakin/Vader) do mean things, so that was a nice little morals lesson (thanks a lot, George Lucas – sincerely this time). The Force is definitely with him.

Product Review: Ball Pit

Did you know that many teachers and parents refer to Ball Pits as Germ Pits? Maybe that's why most McPlaylands and indoor playgrounds have removed them. But no matter how filthy those bright spheres of plastic get, kids love to dive into them...over and over and over again. And since Beloved Offspring #2 is "gravitationally insecure" according to her physical therapist, Beloved Offspring #3 is a daredevil, and Beloved Offspring #1 is a four-year-old boy with boundless energy, we got them an inflatable Little Tykes Cozy Cottage Ball Pit. In all fairness to the Little Tykes company, the product was adorable and did exactly what it was supposed to do...but only for three months. Then the incessant diving and climbing in and out got the better of the poor vinyl thing and it leaked air, drooping sadly and looking very much like my beloved offspring had beaten it up...or down. Actually, it lasted two months longer than I expected!

CHILDPROOFING

When you have a baby, you start thinking about childproofing your environment. You may put away some crystal treasures and buy the plastic clips and outlet covers – but you’re still way off base. Beloved Offspring #1 had those allegedly childproof clips figured out before the tender age of one. While many of those products are extremely useful and, like the one that locks the under-the-sink-where-the-deadly-cleaners-are-stored cabinet, a parenting necessity, I have learned from experience some common sense approaches to child proofing. And you will, too – as you go along. As grown-ups we are blind to many dangers that lurk right under our noses, because we use items the way we’re supposed to use them. We follow the rules. Infants and toddlers don’t even know the rules yet, and don’t usually care about them even when they do know them. Shoes can be sand shovels – or water goblets – to a toddler. We love their imagination and nurture their creativity, but sometimes it’s downright dangerous.

The most obvious way to keep a little one out of a dangerous room like a bathroom is to close the door. It’s quick and it’s free but it’s sadly temporary – it only works until the child is tall enough to reach the doorknob and old enough to figure out how to work the doorknob. Beloved Offspring #3 is halfway there already.

I’ve also become much better at improvising child safety techniques. While at an appointment, I protected Beloved Offspring #2 and #3 by covering the electrical outlets with adhesive tape. And a trip to Grandma’s was almost a disaster until we used electrical tape on her under-the-sink-where-the-deadly-cleaners-are-stored cabinet. At another appointment I had to turn the garbage can around so the little swingy door (aka coolest toy on the planet) faced the wall and went unnoticed.

Another example is sharp corners, like the ones on the footboard of my bed. I always have bruises on my hips and thighs from bumping into them. If that’s what those edges can do to my toned, muscular body (stop laughing!) imagine what it would do to the tender little heads and bodies of my beloved offspring! Cheap and quick solution – when I make the bed, I pull all the blankets over the edges. Again, a sadly temporary fix. The first bed-bouncer will muss the covers enough to expose the evil right angles once again. But who knows how many bumps and bruises we have been spared by my new bed-making strategy.

Thanks to the area where we live, we need to add earthquake straps to tall pieces of furniture. But even parents who don’t live on a fault line are encouraged to add these reinforcements to bookcases and armoires, because children eventually learn how to climb. And if they don’t learn they have an older sibling or visiting cousin who teaches them. To a child determined to reach something on a top shelf, bookcases are really just nice, deep ladders. And anything desirable that is not on a bookcase can be reached with the help of a climbable chair or even something stackable, like books.

Even after you have searched high and low for dangers to your child, the little rascals will find ways to invent new ones. They might stretch a little arm around a corner and pull on something connected to a dangerous object, like a cord or a tail. This is how my youngest son almost dumped our recently used, still hot and greasy indoor grill on his head – despite our carefully installed kitchen gate.

Whenever I put down a cup of hot coffee, I carefully and lovingly make sure it is out of reach of my precious offspring. But my precious offspring are crafty, and will attempt to reach it anyway – or make it reach them. They do it with cups of cold beverages, too, but it’s more of a safety issue with hot ones. Their latest tactic is to pull at the item on which the drink rests, like a placemat or a newspaper or a rickety end table.

As a last resort, my kids will feign injury or launch into a tantrum in order to be picked up and thus be closer to the prize. But we as parents (or grandparents or babysitters or caregivers) must be vigilant. It only takes a moment for

Ps – While I was working on this entry, Beloved Offspring #3 pried off an outlet cover. Good thing I work from home!

"Special Needs"

Beloved Offspring #2 has a mild disability and has been labeled as a child with “special needs.” It was a daunting phrase to hear at first, but the reality is that every child has little quirks and specific preferences, like having the crust cut off of their sandwiches, needing to have their forehead stroked to help them fall asleep, seeing Daddy do a special monkey dance before heading off to school (preferably outside in the driveway where all the neighbors can see it, too), singing their favorite Wiggles song to stop a tantrum or having their hotdogs peeled (thanks, mom). These particulars are part of what makes each child “special” and unique.

Waxing Nostalgic

Despite their tiny attention spans, kids are remarkably observant and anything new that has appeared in a room will attract them like a moth to a flame – especially if it happens to actually be a flame. I miss my candles.