An Only child

In my Child Development class last night we were told to break up into groups based on birth order - oldest, middle or youngest. I was the only only child. How ironic.

Inner Thoughts of a Toddler

There is nothing more exciting on the entire playground than a swing. Don’t even bother me about the stupid slide, I’m swinging.

The most overrated word in the English language is “share.”

Someone else’s toy is always more fun – even if I have the same exact one at home.

Sometimes mommies need a time out, too.

Being stood up hurts, even if it’s just for a playdate.

No trip to the playground is complete without making at least one Sand Angel.

Mommy says sand is very hard to get out of toddler hair. Why would she want to get it out??

Sham-Wow ... WOW!

Check out my recently published content on AC:

How Sham Wow Saved My Daughter's Rug

Confessions of a Soccer Mom

Check out my recently published content on AC:

The Confessions of a Soccer Mom

Confessions of a Toddler Mom

Check out my recently published content on AC:

Confessions of a Toddler Mom: Toddler Mom Survival Tips

How To Save on Prescriptions

As many Americans struggle in the current economy it’s time to look at ways to make our dollars go further, especially in the prescription medicine arena. Here are some tips to save some money while taking care of yourself.

Some Americans have been driven to extreme methods to afford their medications, such as traveling to Mexico or Canada to fill their prescriptions. While this may work for some, keep in mind that other countries have different regulating laws. There may be additional inactive ingredients or variations in the levels of active medication. But there are other ways to trim the amount you spend each month that don’t involve being bussed over the border.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
Sadly, the insurance companies sometimes dictate which medicines will be covered. Be sure your doctor is writing a prescription for something that your plan will pay for. If you don’t have prescription insurance be sure to ask for the generic version of the medication and have it filled at a pharmacy that offers the lowest price.

Your doctor may also be able to help you by prescribing a longer or larger supply. For example, if you pay $10 per prescription and your doctor is providing you with a month’s supply, ask him or her to write the prescription for a 90-day supply. That will save you $80 a year on that one medication. If the doctor is writing a prescription for 30 tablets, ask if he or she will make it for 90 tablets. Are you willing to cut the tablets in half if it will save you money?

Always ask for samples. Doctors often have boxes to give out, but with all they have on their mind they may not offer this to every patient. But it never hurts to ask! Keep in mind that the samples will probably be the brand name medication, so be sure your doctor gives the pharmacy permission to fill your scrip with the generic version.

PRESCRIPTION ADVOCACY
Many pharmaceutical companies have advocacy programs to help consumers gain access to their products, but the paperwork can be complicated and the deadlines vary from brand to brand. Some states have prescription advocacy services to help residents bring the cost of medication down. There are also discount plans that have a prescription advocacy program available to their members. This is an excellent way to save a lot of money on a long-term or maintenance medication.

DISCOUNT PLANS AND CARDS
Some pharmacy chains have special plans for their loyal customers or for senior citizens. See if you qualify for some additional savings in this way. You can also check into a discount plan, which usually gives you a membership card for an annual or monthly fee. The card slashes the price of prescription medications when used at a participating pharmacy. This is a terrific strategy for people who are uninsured as the discount cards and plans are usually very affordable in comparison to insurance premiums.
This is also a great option if you find yourself falling into “the donut” – part of the year when you have maxed out your benefits or have gone over your plan’s limit and are expected to pay for everything out of pocket until the new calendar year begins.

MAIL ORDER
Many insurance plans and discount plans have pharmacies that will deliver medications directly to your home, usually at a huge savings. This is perfect for those maintenance medications that you want to have on hand in larger quantities to be sure your supply never runs out. This also saves you a trip to the pharmacy, which is an added convenience.
As our economy becomes more difficult to navigate people will come up with even more strategies for saving money on medications. Please always keep health and safety in mind as well as minding the laws of our great nation.

Pancake Puffs Are Fun and Yummy!

Last year I asked for a Pancake Puff pan for Mother’s Day. DH thought it would be another one of those gadgets that would take up space in our tiny, already overstocked kitchen. No Pancake Puff pan arrived and Mother’s Day came and went. Not only was I disappointed, my kids were totally crushed. My boys don’t need much persuasion to eat anything covered with maple syrup, but my daughter has an aversion to most solid foods. I have tinkered with my pancake “recipe” – which is actually pancake mix with added whole wheat flour and PediaSure instead of milk or water – and now she actually downs plates of pancakes, so surely the Pancake Puff would be all the more appealing. Not to mention all the other treats I could turn out for desserts and bake sales (no more tired rice cereal treats from our house!).

Then the holidays began to loom in the near future, and DH and the Beloved Offspring searched for the perfect gift for me. After many failed attempts he finally asked me what I wanted, and I jumped at the chance – A Pancake Puff! He was cornered, and I had him right where I wanted him!

On Christmas Day we welcomed the cast-iron Pancake Puff into our household, and the next morning we set about to make our first batch. I had secretly been doing research online, reading consumer reviews and comments, so I was prepared for the learning curve about how to flip them over just right, how long to heat the pan and how melted butter worked better than non-stick spray. I am a notoriously poor cook (must be all that recipe tinkering I am forced to do) but my little Pancake Puffs turned out great! And they got better and better the more I practiced my flipping technique.

I had family in town, so I whipped up a batch of cake puffs for dessert. They also got rave reviews, although I had no idea how very many puffs one little box of cake mix would make! I was shackled to the stove until all the batter had been puffed. But we have plenty of yummy, fluffy puffs to share with neighbors!

I mentioned my Pancake Puff to others, and soon we were swapping ideas and comparing results. I think maybe we have started a little cult. I was blown away at the idea of making corn bread puffs, while my egg-and-cheese puffs had everyone drooling with possibilities.

Bottom line – the Pancake Puff is fun! It pretty much works the way the ad says it will, and although we haven’t had any luck filling our puffs yet so far it’s been a big hit with my family and friends. I would say it was certainly worth the wait!

Happy New Year!

Here we are in 2009! Seems as if "change" is the word of the year, although to me change is what I count while trying to scrape together money for groceries.

But seriously, folks, this is the time of year when many of us try to overcome our bad habits and adopt new, healthier ones. Are you one of those people? When I was in Weight Watchers my meeting leader once told us that it takes 9 months to create a new life, so why would it take any less time to form a new habit? I tend to agree with her, although sadly bad habits seem to take hold immediately.

AmeriPlan has a great Online Wellness Program that will help you, whether you're trying to lose weight, quit smoking or exercise more. We have an entire panel of highly qualified physicians, exercise physiologists, nutritionists and dietitians who designed our unique programs that will provide guidelines and tracking of progress to help you achieve a healthier more balanced life. And best of all, it's included with our discount health benefits plans!

Learn more at http://www.BenefitsByRosie.com

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.