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Mom: Thank you for being Disappointed

When I think of the word mother, I don’t conjure up thoughts of a woman in the flesh but rather the raising [Read: Mothering] that woman does to evolve ones naivety of the world to his/her wit and wisdom about the world. I think of the tenderness with which she nurses bumps and bruises. I think of the wherewithal that she uses to guide ‘too big for his/her britches’ moments. I think of constant motion, constant course correction and constant love even in the most dire of circumstance. But, most of all, I think of the disappointment(s).

Mom Builds Character

I grew up in a broken home. Nothing novel by any stretch of the imagination but not a childhood I would wish upon anyone. Despite the circumstance there was always one constant – Mom. She was there to pick up the pieces. She was the facilitator, the mediator and the peace negotiator. She endured long work days only to have them give way to the work of running a home. She made it warm and fun. She worked to provide. She was proud. And, semi-regrettably, she was often disappointed.

When I reflect back, ironically those moments of disappointment mean the most to me. Seeing disappointment in my mother’s eyes is how I learned to be kind. I learned to be forgiving. I learned that keeping my word is worth its weight in gold. I learned forgiveness. I learned to understand what I believe and I learned to stand strong for it. I learned to open the car door for the woman in my life. I learned that the bill for the date is mine to pay. I learned that – yes, please and thank you – go along way in good relations. I learned that honesty breeds courage. And, mis-truths breed discord. I learned that the needs of others many times come first. I learned that hard work brings good luck. I learned that integrity matters. And, I learned that reputation moves mountains – provided it’s a good one.

Thank you for being Disappointed

While I am not batting 1000 in all of the above, I do cherish the wit and the wisdom of the mothering that I experienced. And, on this Mother’s Day to come, I say, with love, care and respect – Thank You for standing firm in your disappointment(s) – Mom. They helped me be a better me.

 Brought to you by Mills Properties 
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Read Books, Be Smarter, Win Prizes

Yesterday, the St. Louis Public Library system kicked off their Pageturners reading club, which runs until August 7th. Sign up at any SLPL branch and get a bookmark to record all of the books and magazines you read or listen to between now and August 7th. Turn the bookmark in when you get to 10 and you’ll receive a “roll-up blanket” and be entered to win fabulous prizes. Everything is better when you get rewarded for doing it.

The stuff you read can be from anywhere, not just the library. You could get it from your favorite local book store, read it on your Kindle, borrow it from Grandma, or just buy it from any of our Amazon affiliate links below. If you are in the St. Louis metro area, but not within the city, check with your library and see if they have a program like SLPL.  Did you know that a lot of libraries in the area have reciprocal agreements with each other?

Not a reader? Here’s why you should be. Too busy to read? Get over yourself. Quit complaining that you are too busy, you aren’t and no one wants to hear you try to justify your existence. Here are some authors that will get you through those 10 books before The Campaign comes out.


Anything by James Rollins: Did you like The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown?  I bet you love most of the stuff by Rollins.  The name on the jacket is actually the pen name of James Czajkowski, a Veterinarian who attended Mizzou before setting up a practice in California. I suggest the first book you pick up by him should be Amazonia. He has five other action adventure novels  as well that all paint scenes and adventures that would easily make better movies than 85% of what comes to theaters now. Recently, he has started a series of books centered around the Sigma Force, which is a team of scientists with ridiculous military training as best as I can put it. While they aren’t as cool to me as his first books, I still make it a point to read them.

Speaking of Dan Brown: You may have read Da Vinci Code or Angels & Demons, but do yourself a favor and pick up Digital Fortress and Deception Point.

Anything by James Patterson: If you couldn’t tell, I’m not exactly an expert on the traditional literary classics. That might be why I appreciate James Patterson. I would suggest anything featuring Alex Cross, the D.C. detective played by Morgan Freeman in the Kiss The Girls movie. Cross has been the main character in 20 Patterson books since 1993. One of the reasons Patterson has 102 books to his name is because he co-authors a lot of books. These books aren’t deep in really any way, but they are fun quick reads. Check out Step On A Crack, or Private.

Everything by Vince Flynn: Vince Flynn has authored 12 books centered on Mitch Rapp, a man that every proud American should pray is fighting for our country while we sleep. I just finished American Assassin, which tells the story of how Rapp went from stud NCAA lacrosse talent to defending America against its craziest enemies. While Term Limits isn’t a Rapp book, it may be Vince Flynn’s best work.

Everything by Lee Child: I actually met Lee Child when he came to speak at the Schlafly library branch in the CWE in 2010. By “met”, I apparently stood next to him in the crowded room before he spoke. His creation, Jack Reacher, is an ex-military cop who is now essentially a drifter. All of his books have seen their movie options snapped up.  Tom Cruise will play Reacher in the adaptation of One Shot, currently shooting.

All done with your 10 by August?  Check out one of these authors: Alex Berenson, Brian Haig, David Baldacci, Stephen Frey

Not in to the fiction business?  I really enjoyed Dreams From My Father and Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama even though I would consider myself a Conservative. Decision Points by George W. Bush is also on my list to read. I saw the book, Mr. President yesterday and that looks interesting too. Starting The Hunger Games or A Song of Fire and Ice trilogies would be a good plan.

These books not your thing? Go read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Bring one of those misting fans.

Cover photo credit to TheRisetotheTop.com
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What’s Your Neuro?


So for the past few months I’ve been harping about getting healthy in 2012 and giving you all kinds of health tips and reviews of diet fads and other useful information.  This week I would like to keep with tradition and tell you about a nifty new product I have found and absolutely LOVE and enjoy and I am certain you will too!  Get ready for Neuro

Neuro is a water based product that is deemed “The Operating System for Life”.  They have several different types of Neuro Water each carries its own benefit and purpose.  I am going to review a few of these that I have tried and encourage you to check out their website to see the full line of products they offer.

Neuro Sleep - This is first on the list because it is the first one I came across.  It’s a brightly colored orange bottle shaped similar to a lava lamp.  The principle behind Neuro Sleep is that it helps you fall asleep and stay asleep the natural way and you awake feeling refreshed and well rested.  I can attest to you that this does indeed work.  I drank my first bottle of Neuro Sleep several weeks ago and had one of the best nights sleep I had gotten in a long time.  I woke up bright eyed and not groggy and felt like I really got good solid sleep!  So if you are someone who finds it difficult to hit the pillow at night, or are a toss and turner, check out Neuro Sleep, it may just be the thing your tired body and mind need!

Neuro Bliss- This was the second product I tried from the Neuro line up.  Neuro Bliss is a lightly carbonated bottle of happiness.  The benefit to Neuro Bliss is that it helps elevate your mood, enhances positive thinking and gives you an overall sense of happiness and calm.  One sip of this bubbly beverage and you will feel not only your taste buds perk up, but you can’t help to put a smile on your face!  A bottle of Neuro Bliss is the perfect cure to those stressful Monday blues that we all get, or for any time when you need a positive pick me up!

Neuro Trim- I recently drank a bottle of Neuro Trim and while I wasn’t instanly skinny, the ingredient in Neuro Trim is a soluble fiber that helps curb your appetite as well as promote healthy digestion.  It is non-carbonated so it won’t leave you with a bloated feeling.  This would be a product I would think you would benefit most from by drinking it every day, if not multiple times per day, at least 1 hour prior to your mealtime each day per the directions.  Neuro Trim is a slimmer you inside every bottle!

Neuro Sonic - Finally on our tour we have Neuro Sonic.  This deep red colored bottle is for energy and mental performance enhancement.  It allegedly makes your mind more alert and provides you with sustaining energy when you need your mind the most.  It is not an energy drink however it does contain the same amount of caffeine as about 3 cups of tea, but the main ingredient L-Theanine can mitigate the usual side affects of heavy caffeine consumption so you get the benefit without the jitters.  Put on your thinking cap and down a bottle of Neuro Sonic and who knows what your mind will conceive!

Neuro also offer Neuro Sun, Neuro Passion, Neuro Aquaand Neuro Sport, each with its own purpose and benefit.  I came across this product at Dierbergs after I decided to kick the soda habit altogether and was looking for an acceptable water substitute.  On the website you can use the locator to find the store nearest you that carries Neuro as well as download a Finder App on your smartphone to find Neuro on the go – or you can order them by clicking on our affiliate links above!  It should be noted that Neuro water products are not 0 calorie, most have about 35 calories per bottle.

“Neuro Drinks™ offer consumers an alternative to products that perpetuate our self-medicating sugar-dependent society. Designed to sustain and enhance your active lifestyle with natural ingredients, each beverage is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanicals at dosages backed by scientific research. Just real results — no marketing hype.” – Diana Jenkins – Founder

I highly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a unique, tasty and life enhancing nutritional supplement.  Especially if you have had it with soda and sugar laden drinks that offer no nutritional value and add to your waistline.  Find the nearest Neuro supplier near you and take the Neuro challenge, your body and your life will thank you for it!  If you have tried it and are a fan, what’s your neuro?  Enjoy!

That’s all I have for today!  Remember no matter what you do, keep it safe and keep it healthy! 2012 is the year for you!  Know before you go, knowledge is power!

Stay tuned for next time, we’re going to visit the world of “Insanity” and give you an inside look into this new workout trend that is sweeping the nation……

 Brought to you by Mills Properties
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Looking for something new and different to do…Get inspired on Schemer!

 

Three things first:

1.  I just don’t get Pinterest.  Maybe because to me it is an arts and crafts website.  Maybe because I just don’t have the patience to make my own laundry detergent, or bake cookies shaped like stars and then spend hours with my kids assembling a correct solar system.  My list of places I want to see is stored in my head. I don’t need a reminder and I don’t need you to know my dreams.

2. I have always wanted to be a part of a google beta test!  I love google and I just simply think they are awesome! (Ryan I took all the extra exclamation points out just for you, but there were about 10 originally so your post worked)

3. I am always looking for unique things to do or just ideas for what to do.  I don’t watch sports, I don’t do crafts and I’ve lived in the St. louis area a long time so a lot of the regular things I’ve already done many times over.

I’ve finally been invited to do a beta test for Google and it’s for a new and different social network (I tried google+ but was really disappointed. People just didn’t make the jump).  This one is more like Pinterest, meaning that it is more about the content than the personal connections, without the crafts and such, but it does appear to really be an add-on for Google+.

The site is schemer.com and it is a user-generated list of cool things to do.  You can pick your favorite interests to get a customized list.  You can also search by area, such as St. Louis, or within a category for a certain area.  When you find something that looks interesting just click on it to add it to the list of things you want to do.  When your friends are on there they can become your accomplices and you can check out what your friends are doing or want to do.  It will also tell you who in your area wants to do the same thing.

There are ideas for date nights, places to eat and cool stuff to do.  It has some major downsides.  It may improve with more members but right now the categories are really lacking substance.  I can think of several hundered things that really need to be added.  Another issue: many of the items are very vague you can’t really tell what they are intending for you to do.  With more people in your real life group it could be a way to just put it out there that you want to do something, but  I honestly haven’t found much of a reason to go back to the site since signing up.  Maybe with more users it will improve.

With my invite came the opportunity to invite 20 others to join me on the site, so if you are interested let me know in the comments below and I can get you the link.  I’d love to see some friends on there so we can be inspired together.

Brought to you by Mills Properties

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Top 10 Must-Have Baby Items


I guess it is that time of year. I have had so many friends, neighbors, and co-workers that are expecting babies and a lot of them have had questions on what to buy. I thought I would put together a list of my top 10 favorite things.

1. Little Giraffe - My daughter loves her blanky! We have three of them around our house, and I hope we never lose one.

2.Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water - This was a complete life saver. I am not  a fan of giving a lot of medicine and I was told about Gripe Water. This is made with fennel and ginger making it all natural. I cannot even tell you how much I love this product. It can be used for colic, gas, teething, and more.

3. Tommee Tippee Bottles - The best bottle with very few parts and great if you are nursing.

4. Cloud b Sleep - My daughter sleeps with her sleep sheep every night. It is  a sound machine that is on a timer. There are four different types of sounds you can use. My little one prefers the ocean waves.

5. Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddle Wraps – These wraps are so wonderful because they are bigger than a receiving blanket and light weight. You can buy them thicker for the winter months, but I liked the light weight ones. They make swaddling so easy.

6. Aveeno Baby - I really like the lavender scented baby wash and lotion. My daughter has sensitive skin and this has been great for her.

7. Mustela foam shampoo for newborns - My daughter was starting to get cradle cap and a friend of mine recommended this shampoo. This works wonders and it is fun since it foams up.

8. Vulli Sophie – This teether is BPA free and made with natural rubber. This is great because of the variety of places an infant or toddler can chew on. LOVE IT!

9. Johnny Jump Up – This is for when your infant gets a little older, but it will keep your child entertained for hours.

10. Last bust not least I love my Moby Wrap - this wrap it amazing. It seems a little complicated at first, but once you learn the different wraps you will love it. I still use this wrap and my daughter is 17 months old.

This is just one opinion, but these were my top ten favorite things for my baby. As for the moms and dads – have a glass of wine and figure out what works best for you.

I hope this has helped!  What are some of your favorites?

Brought to you by Mills Properties
Click on our affiliate links above to purchase your new favorite baby item!
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The Jig Is Up…..Fitness Fads Reviewed!


You’re sitting on the couch, it’s 2am and you cannot sleep!  On the television a commercial begins….”DO YOU WANT TO SEE SIX PACK ABS IN 30 DAYS?”  “ARE YOU TIRED OF BEING FAT AND OUT OF SHAPE?” “ARE YOU TOO BUSY TO GO TO THE GYM?” “YOU CAN GET THE BODY YOU DREAM OF AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHANGE A THING!!”

Infomercials.  From the electric shock belt that you wrap around your waist and wear 30 minutes a day to get rock hard abs, the tummy tuck belt that only requires you to rub some cream on your abs and wear a compression garment for 10 minutes to slim down, the ab rocker where you lie on your back and “rock” your way to a leaner midsection.  And how could we ever forget the infamous Thigh Master, a simple contraption you put between your legs to get thighs of steel!  All of them are very tempting because of the results they promise without us having to seemingly put in very much effort or change our lifestyles.

I am going to review some of the “Worth a shot” and “Should be shot” programs that are on the market today.  Some of these I have personal experience with, other are based on feedback from real consumers who tried them.  Before you take another step toward your credit card to call in and give it to the scary lady on tv begging you to call in or be fat forever, read these reviews, it may just save your life and your wallet!

1. Weight Watchers (Worth a Shot!) – Weight Watchers has totally revamped its program and direction.  If you only know Weight Watchers from 5 years ago, then you need to re-look at this program.  They now offer a Points Plus program that looks at Fats, Proteins and Carbs as the make-up of each point value for food.  Also, all fruits and most vegetables are 0 points helping you stay on target while not eating up your points for the day, literally.  Their new online program offers you the ability to track your progress online and gain access to thousands of recipes and the Weight Watcher Community where you can meet others who are on the same journey, without ever having to set foot in a meeting.  On average people lose between 1-2lbs per week on Weight Watchers.  Definitely Worth a Shot!

2. Tummy Tuck Belt (Should Be Shot!) - The makers of this belt had to be on something when they created this.  So the alleged claim here is that they have this “magic” cream (or Thermal Accelerator as they call it) that you apply to your midsection and then you put on a fabric wrap and do 2 minutes of standing contractions then wear it for another 8 minutes and POOF you’re done….6 pack!  Ok, so not that instantly but they claim within 30 days you will slim down without changing a thing!  Now they have all kinds of “studies” and medical folks that claim to back the results, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize that some cream and a wrap aren’t going to slim you down, especially if you eat junk all day long!  And if you do order it and don’t like it, good luck trying to enforce the 30-day money back guarantee, according to ripoffreport.com it’s quite the hassle and where the real scam begins.

3. Insanity Workout Series (Worth a Shot!) – The Insanity Workout Series is exactly what it says, INSANE!  If you have seen the infomercials on TV then you know how insane it looks.  When the folks MAKING the dvd are falling over during the filming and they are IN SHAPE, you know it’s got to be rough!  Shaun T will have you begging for mercy and wishing you were dead already!  It sounds horrible, but from all of the online reviews I have read and video posts I have watched, the insane workouts get you insane results!  The basics are a 6-day workout program that ranges from 30-60 minutes per workout along with a built-in (but optional) nutrition plan built upon the 5 meals a day concept.  It’s 60 days of torture.  The concept is what they call “Max Interval Training” where you do really intense workouts for longer periods of time and short rest periods.  This is in contrast to the long standing method of short bursts of intense workouts followed by longer rest periods.  If you finish the series and send in your Before and After shots, they send you a t-shirt that says “I earned it!” on the back.  That’s worth it! :-)   I was so convinced by all the research I did that I have ordered the series to try for myself and will begin next week.  Check out my personal blog to follow my journey with Insanity!

4. HCG Diet (Should Be Shot!) - This is probably to most ridiculous new fad out there.  If you haven’t heard about it, the HCG diet is basically a little bottle of fluid that they claim contains Human Choriogonadotropin.  The concept is that you take these drops every day and only eat 500 calories per day.  The claim is that the “chemical” in the drops forces your body to draw nutrients from the stored fat in your body to compensate for the caloric deficit.  Are these people real?  Of course people are losing weight because they only eat 500 calories per day they are starving their bodies!!  This is not only insane it is unsafe!  Medical experts will tell you that most of us need a MINIMUM of 1200 calories per day to sustain a healthy life, this varies by person however.  There is no medical proof that this chemical is legit and it is NOT FDA approved.  There are TONS of warnings against this new diet and another one that I have deemed SHOULD BE SHOT!

So there you have it.  Product reviews of diet fads you should try and 2 you should definitely AVOID.  There are THOUSANDS more products out there, each with their own promise and guarantee.  The most important thing you can do is to research and review extensively before deciding if a particular product is right for you.  I researched the Insanity series for nearly a week and talked to friends who had already done it before I committed myself to purchasing it.  Read the reviews and find out if the product you are buying has a money back guarantee, if so, how long do you have to try it and how hard is it to return it?

Remember that not every program and product out there will work for everyone.  We are all made up differently and our bodies respond differently to nutrition and exercise.  If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Real weight loss comes from hard work and dedication to your cause.  Quick fixes are usually temporary and unsustainable and in the end you gain all of the weight back plus more!  Know before you go!  Knowledge is power!

Wishing you all the best in your fitness journey, make this year about you!

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Check out our affiliate link above to try Insanity out for yourself!
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