Move 'em on, head 'em up. Head 'em up, move 'em on.....

Remember the theme song 'rawhide,' lyrics by Blues Brothers?
That is what I am going to feel like at about 4am tomorrow morning. We are finally heading to Florida for my niece's wedding and this will be my last post for a couple of weeks.

Ironic really, we are leaving one, "it's about time" sunny state for another sunny state, when the sunny state we are leaving hasn't been sunny in weeks. Now, it's finally going to be sunny, and we are leaving. Not to mention the sunny state we are heading to is recording temps in the 100s. OMG!

Anyway, I can't wait to see both of my sisters and their families and I am really looking forward to seeing my niece tie the knot. I am so happy for her. Like her mom and dad, Lindsay and George are also high school sweethearts! How cute!

We are planning to drive most of the way, only stopping once to sleep, so I probably won't have much of an opportunity to take many pics of my trip. If I see something that I think you will enjoy however, I will be sure to capture the moment.

While planning our trip, I stumbled upon this great AAA gas calculator. If you have any trips planned, you need to check it out. All you have to do is enter your start city and destination then the make, model and year of your car and it calculates the gas price for you. According to this calculator, we will spend $347.60 on gas. It sounds like a lot of money, but it sure beats the price of flying times five! I'll be curious to see how accurate it is upon our return. If I remember to keep the receipts that is.

Stay safe and come back to see me in July!

e.l.f. Deals

e.l.f. is 5 years old and to celebrate they're offering 5 weeks of special anniversary deals.

This week get mineral makeup for 50% off mineral makeup with coupon 5FOR5WOW.


Week of June 29: Free flip flops with $5 order
Week of July 6: 50% off Studio makeup

Check it out!

Should teenagers have credit cards?

This is a question that every parent faces at one time or another. As with any teen issue there are two very relevant sides and both sides have some pretty good arguments.

The Pros - A teen having a credit card would teach them early on how to budget money and make sound financial decisions. They would learn that if they want something and are responsible enough to work to get it, that they can get it now and pay for it later. Credit cards are nice to have in an emergency, like a car repair or a taxi ride home.

The Cons - The peer pressure while hanging out at the mall with friends is stronger when the credit card allows them to give in to the pressure of buying those cute designer shoes to wear to the "party tonight"...that they didn't really need to begin with. Or to pay for the pizza delivery because they are the only one with any "money."

Without that credit card they would have to wait and earn the money first. With the credit card, it can be purchased with no immediate consequences, but possibly forgotten the next month....hurting their credit scores.

So, what is a parent to do with this dilemma? You could hope that you have educated them well enough that they won’t go crazy. But that’s not very re-assuring.

A better option might well be the pre loaded debit card. You can buy them almost anywhere nowadays and load on what you would allow them to spend, or even their allowance or part of their paycheck. But, if they are working then only do that for them for the first month and let THEM figure out how to handle the card going forward. Ofcourse assuming that up until this point you have supplied them with an educational value that goes far beyond its monetary value.

When purchasing these cards, be sure to read the fine print for usage fees and activiation fees! Some are really high.

If they go crazy with it, the card will stop them when it’s empty, you can explain to them that if the card should reach zero the person swiping the card for them will inform them that the card was declined and they will have to figure out how to explain that to the friends.

Personally, I think credit cards can easily ruin a teens credit before they even have a chance to establish it. I plan to set my kids up with a checking account and debit card. That way when they run out of money, they run out and no financial damages are incurred and they learn to live by a budget.

Something to be proud of?

Now, I am a huge fan of texting, but wow!

Samantha Gross from the Associated Press wrote an article today about 15-year old Kate Moore from Des Moines, Iowa winning $50,000 as the finalist for the LG US National Texting Championship. Huh?

Samantha says in the article to, "Let your kid text during dinner! Let your kid text during school! After all, she said, "Your kid could win money and publicity and a phone." During dinner? What about family time? And, I could be wrong, but aren't they suppose to be paying attention in school?

It appears Kate's 14,000 texts-per-month habit paid off....literally. Kate took home the $50,000 reward just eight months after she got her first cell phone. Did they say 14,000 per month?

Her speedy and accurate performance, beat out 20 other finalists from around the country over two days of challenges such as texting blindfolded and texting while maneuvering through a moving obstacle course. Maybe next we'll see her on Britain's Got Talent!

According to Samantha, she outtexted 14-year-old Morgan Dynda, of Savannah, GA in the final showdown. Both girls had to text three lengthy phrases without making any mistakes on the required abbreviations, capitalization or punctuation. At least they are learning grammar and punctuation, that's good.

The winner pays no attention to the claims that she is too focused on virtual communications, saying that while she has sometimes had her phone taken away from her in school, she keeps good grades, performs in school plays and socializes with friends — in person — on the weekends. Wow, and I can't even find time to work and raise a family.

And, in addition to all of that, she finds time to send about 400 to 470 texts a day. Did she say, a day? I am up to 20 on some days, but clearly, she's got me beat.

Among her uses of the text messages? Studying for exams with friends, which she says is better done by text because she can look back at the messages to review. Or cheat, whatever need be.

Anywho, there were over 250,000 people who tried to get a spot in the competition, all 22 or younger with some winning their spots by being the fastest people to text responses to the televised ads. Guess that leaves me out.

It's the third year for the texting competition, sponsored by LG Electronics Inc.'s mobile-phones division. But it's the first time that it was held at a flashy sound stage with an illuminated platform and surrounded by TV cameras. LG, based in Seoul, South Korea, is considering using the footage in a televised special of some kind. Sounds like a Hannah Montana concert, sweet!

Seriously though, good for Kate. If I thought my two teens could have won 50 Gs, I would have pulled them out of school for the year to practice. Wink, wink.

Keep texting!

What are Toe Socks?

My son asked me the other day what toe socks were. For some reason that struck me as funny. How could he not know what toe socks are? Am I that old?

Have you ever owned a pair of toesocks? If you haven't, or if you're like many people that I've talked to and assume they are uncomfortable, let me tell you - they're not.

I actually find socks with toes to be pretty comfortable. When socks have compartments for your individual toes, your toes can move more freely - the feeling is much like being barefoot, but with the softness.

Plus, during colder weather toe socks keep your feet warmer than traditional socks - although they do take up more room in the toe of your shoe. Not to mention, they are a lot of fun when you go somewhere that you have to take your shoes off.

Check out the site below. They have a lot of fun styles to choose from.

Sock Dreams - Sockdreams.com is the ultimate site for all varieties of sock-lovers, featuring luxurious materials, and fabulous styles.

Foot Traffic - Includes novelty prints like hearts, clouds and cheetah, as well as striped, fuzzy, and ankle versions.

Sock Grams - With so many socks to choose from, you can craft the perfect Sock Gram starting at $9.95!

Bubble socks

Cow Utter socks

Urinetown

Last week, my daughter was cast in Urinetown. Yup. I said it....Urinetown.

Urinetown is said to be, one of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years. It's a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is nearly non-existant.

In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, controled by a single company that profits by charging admission to pee.

One of those charged to pee decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! The privilege to pee is expensive and dangerous. Anyone who refuses to pay to pee is immediately and without question hauled off to Urinetown.

What is Urinetown? Nobody knows, because those who are sent there never return to say. No worries however, it's really a love story and the revolution takes place all before the end of Act I.

Will the revolution succeed? Can true love be found in Urinetown? You've gotta come see the show to find out. If you're local, check it out. It runs from August 7th - August 15th. Stay tuned for more details.

Vichy skin consultations at CVS

For months my teenage daughter has been asking me to take her to the mall for one of those beauty consultations, but with the cost of make up at the mall, that is not happening. Today however, I found out that Vichy Laboratories has consultants at CVS.

Vichy Laboratoires is the No. 1 skincare brand in European pharmacies. They offer a diverse range of allergy-tested products. These products combine soothing Vichy Thermal Spa Water with the latest ingredient innovations stemming from dermatological research.

Despite being frequently associated with teenagers and oily skin, imperfections can appear at any age and on any skin type, due to skin imbalances, stress, environment, hormonal changes or use of inadequate skincare products.

Visit your local CVS and get a personalized skin analysis by a trained Vichy expert who will be able to recommend products that best suit your skin type, offer personalized skincare recommendation and complimentary samples adapted to your skin's needs.

I took home their Lift Activ CxP Day Biolifting Daily Care - Anti-Wrinkle And Firming. Skin is visibly re-tightened, wrinkles are smoothed out from within. Breakthrough Technology continuously releases pure Vitamin C' into the skin for 24 hours and the Aqualia Thermal Cream Fortifying & Soothing 24Hr Hydrating Care.

Aqualia Thermal Cream offers 24 hours of continuous hydration via a patented "sprinkler-like" delivery system that infuses the skin with anti-oxidant, mineral-rich Vichy Thermal Spa Water to fortify the skin.This refreshing, lightweight cream is formulated with unique "ceramide-like" polymer mimics the shape of skin’s natural ceramides, allowing for instant penetration. Skin feels soft, supple and comfortable.

Silent Sunday

I found this picture on a site for unusual churhes. I'd say. Is this a church or Disneyland in India? No, there is no Disneyland in India, but this church is gorgeous, isn't it. I'd love to know where it is, but don't think I ever will.

Surviving long car rides

I am counting the days until I arrive in Florida to see my niece Lindsay get married! I am so excited for her and can’t wait to see her, but I am not counting the days that will begin our trek of terror.

All families face the day in which they must take that long car trip. I know some families that think nothing of hopping in the car for cross country trip, but we are not one of them. Although I love to travel and I love my kids, not necessarily in that order, I do not love long car rides.

My husbands says that he will drive most of the trip, but being a passenger in a car requires a certain amount of skill and experience and I am not sure I am up for the challenge. Riding shotgun for me is like being stabbed with thousands of tiny needles. Can you picture it now? Me, sitting at the right hand of the king, armed with an overwhelming amount of responsibility:

1. Keeper of the Map. Responsible for the vehicles navigation by assisting in reading road signs, mile markers, exit signs and detours. Oh wait, we have a GPS, so never mind that.

2. DJ. Responsible for swapping the media, changing the station, fiddling with the volume and performing other necessary entertainment tweaks. Oh wait; all three kids have iPods, so never mind that.

3. Secretary of the Treasury. Responsible for tolls and for digging for just the right amount of change that is listed on that very tiny toll ticket that I can not read without my glasses, which I can never seem to find. Actually, now that I think of it, we have a Fast Pass, so never mind that one too.

4. Referee. Sending the fighters, I mean kids, back to their respective corners when they have had so much family quality time that they are ready to beat one another. Oh, now finally a job that technology can't take from me!

With some planning and the knowledge that it is the journey, not the destination that makes a trip, I know we will have a fantastic time and make memories that will last a lifetime. Buckle up! "Are we there yet?"

Rejuvenate your skin

I love Garnier products. Normally I just use their hair products, but
recently broke off into a new line.

The Garnier Nutritioniste Regenerating Micro-Polish kit includes a 2 oz. polishing exfoliator and a 1.7 oz. post-treatment SPF 15 regenerating moisturizer.

It contains professional grade aluminum oxide crystals to remove dead skin cells for softer, smoother and vibrant skin. Post-treatment SPF 15 regenerating moisturizer is a protective moisturizer with vitamin C to stimulate cell regeneration, magnesium to energize and hydrate surface cells, and lycopene to nourish skin and protect against environmental aggressors. Did you get all that?

My skin was instantly smoother and more radiant. Imagine that, me radiant! They claim that the results improve with regular use, but I haven't been using it that long.

It is used 2-3 times per week. You just squeeze the cream into your hand and apply to your skin. Then gently massage your face for a 1-2 minutes and rinse.

Apply the Post Treatment Regenerating Moisturizer SPF 15 to entire face, prior to sun exposure, to soothe and protect skin. Return to your regular moisturizing routine when not using kit.

Burn more calories...lose more weight.

Over the last several months, I have tried several diets to lose weight, but have had little to no success. Even if I am able to lose some weight, I gain it back with my first "real" meal.

Today I found out that I am only about 8 lbs over my average body weight. I was actually pleasantly surprised because at my height I thought it would be much higher. Since I can't shake the 8 lbs or any other amount of lbs with with MUFAs and Special K, I am going to try another route....exercise. Since, I don't tend to overeat, I thought this might work.

My work and "life" schedule don't allow me a lot of time to excersise, so whatever I do is going to have to be quick. This morning I started with a 15 min walk. According to the 10 ways to burn more calories below from Shape, that is a good start.

If you aren't already walking, join me. We can post our progress and be "walking buddies." God knows I will need the support.

Here are 10 great ways to burn more calories from Shape Magazine.

1. Add 10 minutes in the morning. While you may be religious about going to the gym after work, waking up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and taking a walk around the block (or, alternatively, simply dancing to your morning radio show for 10 minutes) will let you start off your day with a faster-burning metabolism and, most likely, head off to work in a better mood than usual. Calorie-burning boost: 275 calories per week.

2. Do intervals. When you alternate high-intensity cardio work with moderate-intensity recovery periods, you boost your calorie burning and increase your fitness level. This will help you break through plateaus.

Here's how: Warm up for 5 minutes, then increase speed or resistance on the machine for 2-5 minutes. Return to your usual pace for 5 minutes, then continue with short bursts interspersed with a moderate pace for the rest of your workout. Cool down for 5 minutes at a slower pace.
When you're ready to progress, make the work part of the interval longer and decrease the recovery time (but never to less than 30 seconds). For example, you could do 6 minutes at a higher speed and rest for 3 minutes.Calorie-burning boost: 300-450 calories per 45 minutes

3. Work out with a faster partner. Whether it's in the gym or on the neighborhood track, a fit buddy will challenge you to keep up and exercise at a higher intensity. It's the friendliest way to kick your own butt! Plus, workouts go faster accompanied by good conversation.Calorie-burning boost: Simply increasing your walk from 3 mph to 4 mph will burn almost 100 extra calories in 60 minutes.

4. Jump rope on your coffee breaks. Sound silly? It won't after you read the numbers. Slip off your pumps and put on your sneakers, then head off to a corner with a jump-rope. This quick heart-pumping activity is also weight-bearing, so your muscles and bones will benefit. And you'll probably feel completely energized, too.Calorie-burning boost: You can burn 208 calories on two 10-minute breaks each day (that's 1,000 calories a week)!

5. Go longer. If your typical workout is 30 minutes -- no shorter, no longer -- here's an easy way to challenge yourself. Twice a week, try adding 10 or 15 minutes to your cardio. You'll burn more calories and increase your cardiovascular endurance level, making your weekend hikes and bike rides easier. To adapt your workout to your higher fitness level, every two weeks up your intensity level by increasing resistance or incline on the machine or road.Calorie-burning boost: Running 30 extra minutes on the treadmill each week can burn 400 calories.

6. Change equipment or activities. If you always head right for the treadmill, take a step class or get on the elliptical trainer and step up the intensity. This may increase the calorie burn of your workout because our bodies work less efficiently doing new exercises than those we're used to. Periodically shifting activities will also decrease the chance of an overuse injury and keep your workouts fresh and fun.Calorie-burning boost: Step-aerobics vs. walking at 3.5 mph burns 237 vs. 177 calories in 30 minutes.

7. Add another day. Ho-hum ... does week after week only encompass Monday-Wednesday-Friday on the treadmill? Add a Saturday bike ride or Sunday morning indoor cycling class to your week, and your fitness level -- and body shape -- will show it. Make your workout activity-focused and you'll also invigorate your mind and spirit. Calorie-burning boost: A two-hour hilly hike can burn up to 800 calories.

8. Hire a trainer. Nothing gets you out of a fitness rut faster than refining your routine based on the experience of someone who knows exactly how to get results. A good trainer (make sure she's certified) will look at your current program to make sure it's safe and effective. Does this sound too extravagant? Make an appointment with a trainer once a month or once every three months to update your program and get feedback on your form. Calorie-burning boost: If your trainer has you change from a fast walk to a slow jog, you'll burn an extra 100 calories in 30 minutes.

9. Try a mini-triathlon. Instead of trying to force yourself to stay on the recumbent bicycle for 45 minutes each time you work out, here's your new plan: 15 minutes power walking on a steep incline on the treadmill, 15 minutes on a stationary cycle (ideally at a high resistance level), then 15 minutes in the pool (or use the racing program on your gym's rowing machine). Be sure to warm up, cool down and stretch, and don't forget to write down your speeds to keep track of your progress. Reward yourself when you reach the finish line!

For an added bonus, combine this activity with cardio boost #3 -- working out with a partner -- to make this activity even more fun.Calorie-burning boost: One workout = 600 calories

10. End with an invigorating stretch. Stretching is as important after running or walking as it is after weight lifting. A study found that regular stretching can increase your strength by up to 19 percent when interspersed between weight-training exercises. With additional muscle you'll burn more calories throughout the day. To keep your heart rate up while still stretching your whole body, try doing a series of 10-12 Sun Salutations, yoga's most aerobic move (it incorporates poses that flow from one to the next).

Find the cheapest gas near you!

With gas prices creeping back up again, we're all feeling a little bit more pain at the pump. And, since my family and I are leaving soon to drive to Florida, I have been looking for ways to save a buck, or two!

I've done a little digging and found some great ideas for reducing gas consumption from some transporation sites and want to share them with you , so hopefully we can all leave a little bit more in our wallets and tanks this summer.

Avoid Excessive Idling ~ Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

Use Cruise Control ~ Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

Drive Sensibly ~ Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

Observe the Speed Limit ~ While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Remove Excess Weight ~ Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

Lastly, check out Gas Buddy. Gas Buddy can help you find cheap gas prices in your city. They have over 185 websites to help you find low gasoline prices in your area. You don't need to enroll or sign up for anything, just enter your zipcode so they can serach for you.

OMG!

Oh my God! I forgot to post today. Sorry about that. I am working on a project at work arriving at 8am and leaving at 8pm and just forgot. No excuses.

Silent Sunday

Read a good book today.

Free Stuff

If you don't belong, you should. Do any of you belong to CoolSavings?

CoolSavings knows how important it is for us to get the most value for our money and their goal is to make our lives easier by being a free resource for valuable coupons, discounts and special offers from favorite brands and stores.

They've made it really easy to find all the money-saving offers and information you want. They call it " Savings Made Simple," and they have been around since 1997.

Visit CoolSavings to take advantage of money-saving coupons and offers from your favorite name brands. They also offer helpful tips and articles, newsletters, free recipes, sweepstakes, free trials, free samples and more!

I get emails sent directly to my inbox with printable coupons and offers for free stuff! SWEET!

Check them out!

A fantastic site for moms and teens!

I have another wedding to attend in three weeks and once again I have nothing to wear. My niece, Lindsay is getting married in FL where she lives. I am so excited to see her!

Since every diva wants to look her best on her big day (not Lindsay, me!), I don't want to wear the same dress I just wore to my brother's wedding and while searching for that perfect casual, but elegant dress, I stumbled upon this site....Gojane.com. GoJane has really reasonable prices for gals like us who don't want to wear the same thing twice, but want to look nice and offer loads of shoe choices for under $20! Check it out! And if you enter coupon codeGJSHIP50 you will get free shipping on orders over $50! Love that!

Here are a couple of the many outfits I am considering for the wedding. The first option is much more casual than the second.

This dress is only $24.80

These sandals are only $12.50!

This dress is only $32.20!

These shoes are only $11.20

See you in a few weeks Lindsay!

God's Pharmacy!

My niece sent me this. I think it's pretty interesting, so I am sharing it with you. Thanks Katie!



Sweet Potatoeslook like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.




A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. Walnuts help develop neuron-transmitters for brain function.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Oranges, grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal body needs.

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Jon and Kate....not my definition of "reality"

Who is NOT watching or reading anything and everything about Jon and Kate plus 8? My girls got me hooked a few seasons ago and for awhile, I really enjoyed watching them raise the twins and sextuplets and the trials they faced, but somewhere along the way, the fun-to-watch reality show turned into a not-so-fun money making show.

What started as a family of eight children living a "normal" life with Jon working full-time and Kate staying home to take care of the kids became a Jon staying home to take care of the kids and Kate going out on "tour."

I don't know about you, but my "reality" is not supported by speaking engagements, sponsorships and a cut of a reality show. There was a time when I could empathize with their struggles and all the problems that came with raising a large family, but not anymore. My life raising three children on a shoe string budget is more of a struggle than theirs and I would venture to say, other than the noise, a lot more challenging too. I wish I had the help they have, a driver to take me places, a nice big house, all their "toys" and enough money to do what I wanted! Do I really want to watch another show about a rich family, even if they do have a lot of kids? Nah.

And Monday's episode! Did you see that one? That really made me mad. Until then I felt sorry for them. After all, they didn't know the show would get so big and how could they possibly know what to expect or how to handle their new found fame? If I had eight kids to raise, I would have said yes to TLC too, but they changed along the way and when I heard Kate apologize to Duff of Charm City Cakes for "acting like a fan" when the kids surprised her with a surprise birthday celebration at Duff's place, I had heard enough from Kate.

Maybe she forgot it was her fans that got her a 5th season, a big house, free motorcycles, fourwheels and all those freebies and I suppose in a sense, it's the fans that can take it all away.

Bitter? Maybe, but I do wish them well.....for the kid's sake.

Butterfly garden

I would like to take my youngest daughter to Magic Wings in MA this summer. This 8,000-square foot conservatory is home to nearly 4,000 free-flying butterflies from all over the world!

The thought however, of potentially hundreds of butterflies landing on me at one time freaks me out a bit.

I read an article recently that said that the number one reason that homeowners plant a nature friendly garden is to attract butterflies, so I may just plant a butterfly garden of my own instead.

To get butterflies to come to you garden and support the caterpillars that become butterflies plant these in your garden ~ yarrow (Achillea) butterfly weed (Asclepias), aster, coreopsis and parsley.

Butterfly Myths

1. If you touch a butterfly, it will die. According to The Family Butterfly Book, by Rick Mikula, that myth about killing butterflies when you touch them because the powder gets rubbed off their wings is a myth, probably circulated to keep people from harming them.

2. If a butterfly gets a drop of water on its wings, it will die. Nope. While you want to be sure not to hit them with the garden hose, they can–and do–survive getting wet.

3. Butterflies all migrate to Mexico. Actually, butterflies are found everywhere in the world except Antarctica–and they migrate all over, too. Although they look so fragile, butterflies are evolved to survive in extreme conditions, and some of them travel thousands of miles.

4. If a butterfly wing gets torn or ripped off, it will grow back. While we wish this was true, it’s not. So be kind to butterflies.

Sunless Tanning

It wasn't long ago when we paid a hefty price for our burnished glow ~ Prematurely aged skin and skin cancers from lying on the beach or in a tanning bed. But now, there's a smarter, faster, safer route to a golden complexion ~ getting a fake tan with bronzers and sunless tanners. But with so many different products on the market, how can you know what's best for you?

First, you need to know that these products fall into two main categories: cosmetic bronzers that wash off like regular makeup and sunless tanners that actually stain the skin. The color of sunless tanners fades as skin cells slough off.

Cosmetic Bronzers and Other Wash ~ Off Products come in several forms and add a bronzed glow to the face, legs, and body. Apply them and wash off with soap and water later in the day, as you would with any makeup. Bronzers can spice up your skin for a special occasion or an evening out, or you can use them daily.

Bronzing powders ~ These are the most forgiving and can be placed exactly where you want it and build on it, depending on where you want it, whether it's all over the face, down the nose, cheekbones, forehead, or chin.

Bronzing gels ~ Harder to see than powders and more difficult to get an even tone. The gels can lead to that dreaded orange tone. However, I have heard that Benefit's Talk to the Tan is a popular product for those who prefer gels.

Airbrush Tanning: Airbrush tanning is also called spray tanning. This is a form of spraying on color to the top layer of skin. The formula used does not stimulate your skin to tan like tanning lotions. Tanning lotions often take a couple of hours for the tan to fully develop. Instead, airbrush tanning is like applying makeup to your skin. It applies color that can be washed away after a few times in the shower. Most tanning salons offer airbrush tanning. The most common use of airbrush tanning is for upcoming, short events. You shouldn’t use this method of tanning if you expect long-term results.

Sunless Tanning Lotion: Sunless tanning lotions are a way to chemically induce a tan on your skin. Sunless tanning lotion products contain dihydroxyacetone -- DHA. When DHA is combined with amino acids naturally found in your body, it produces melanoidins. Melanoidins are brown in color though the effects are temporary; this color is only applied to the top most layer of the skin. The skin naturally replaces itself as skin cells fall off every day. To keep the color, you have to re-apply the lotion as directed.