Did you know that brushing alone misses 75% of your mouth?

Another shocking truth: There can be more germs in our mouth than there are people on earth, it’s more important than ever to make sure to do everything we can to keep our mouths healthy — including brushing, flossing and rinsing every day!

Being on this journey to a better smile, oral health has become a huge focus in our home. A great smile can bring so much confidence to a person and it can help in conveying a complete package for a professional mom like me– if I have a healthy and confident smile then I will feel better about myself and that radiance will shine through to those I interact with. Also, so many other issues can arise out of poor oral health. Gum disease, gingivitis and tooth decay are all some serious problems that can lead to a quick downward spiral. Not to mention, the financial stress that can cause even with dental insurance. I am speaking from personal experience– even with health insurance I have had to pay a lot out of pocket for fillings and crowns. It’s not a fun time and the thought that it could have been prevented is sad.

Did you know that early 75 percent of American adults suffer from various forms of periodontal (gum) disease and don’t know it. I was one of those people! I was shocked to realize that my bleeding gums meant that I had a real issue. I just thought that it was my hard brushing. According to a survey conducted by the makers of LISTERINE® and REACH®, over one-third of Americans don’t eat their favorite foods or smile in photos because of dental problems like cavities, tooth pain and gingivitis. Even sadder, 15 percent don’t kiss their loved ones.

That’s why the makers of LISTERINE® and REACH® are supporting the American Heart Association’s My Heart. My Life.TM initiative, with the common goal in mind to educate and empower Americans to make positive lifestyle choices each day – including good oral care! That is also why my family & I are onboard to accept the challenge of creating new and better oral care habits.

It is so important for me to learn from my own mistakes and teach my kids better oral care habits. I want them to understand the importance and see how easy it is to do! Brushing is fun when you make it fun! We started singing the ABC song twice under our brushing. We also have shown the kids how to safety and correctly use flossing sticks. The rinse step so far has been the most challenging because as my 9 year old daughter said “the bubble gum flavor is so yummy.. I want to drink it!” *Not recommended! lol

my kids fav so far

It’s important to understand that teaching our kids how to care for themselves is one of our greatest responsibilities as parents. Thankfully, Listerine makes it affordable by carrying a wide variety of products at Walmart.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for this challenge by The Motherhood. I also received free oral care products from Walmart and Johnson & Johnson. All opinions expressed are my own.

To learn more about the American Heart Association’s My Heart. My Life initiative, visit www.MyHeartMyLife.org.

Eve, yes Eve as in Adam & Eve. She seemed to have it all, right? A great husband, a beautiful place to live, friendship and open communication with God himself. So, what happened? You can read her story in Genesis 2:19-4:2

She literally lived in the 1st paradise ever, but when the serpent came along and pointed out the one thing she did not have, it became her only thought. Why would the God who loves her not let her have that ONE thing? Did she not deserve it? Was she not good enough? Once that seed of discontentment was planted the thoughts can start to consume you.

I think we all struggle with some sort of discontentment at some time in our lives. In order to move forward you have to ask yourself some very tough and deep questions. What id driving the discontentment? So often we try to fill the holes in our lives with everything except what will really satisfy us. It’s sometimes considered “settling for less than best”.

Secondly, we need to guard ourselves against the “I deserve it all” way of thinking. In this fallen world it is so easy to get caught up in that sense of entitlement. You can’t act on impulse either, always check with God first through prayer and meditation. Tell Him what it is that you “have to have” and ask Him for guidance. Confiding in a close and trusted friend can also assist in this. Finding someone who can offer you an objective, rational opinion; for me this is my husband.

Just think of what would have been different if Eve had asked God first, or even Adam. If it’s something that you are embarrassed to ask about, that should be a red flag.

Lastly, it’s important to focus on what you do have. Make a list, share it with your spouse or best friend…read it aloud to yourself. Post it on your fridge- do whatever it takes to keep in mind all that God has given to you. Thank God for everything that He has given you. The truth is, God has given you everything that you need to be completely happy in this world. Don’t waste your time thinking any less.

If discontentment is a struggle for you take a look at what Solomon, the king of “having it all”, had to say about finding contentment in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20. Also, read Paul’s secret to contentment in Philippians 4:10-13 and 1 Timothy 6:6-8.

SIGH. I don’t know what to do… I bought my BlogHer 2012 conference pass last year after selling my 2011 pass because I decided at the last minute not to attend. I was so excited at the time and was looking forward to BlogHer being back on the east coast and so close to me in NYC. When it was there a few years ago I had a blast, I was able to commute via car which was nice and I even had my husband pick me up the last night and he got to see the craziness that is BlogHer.

This year has been a total mess for me. It might sound bad, but I have really learned to live my life in REAL life and have let go of most of my online “life”. I feel that it was something that was a long time comin’ because as much as I have found success in the blogging world, I have also always felt detached. I haven’t had a problem cutting back on my output into the blogosphere because I still have managed to get the attention of enough brands to keep me afloat financially. I have a pretty well-balanced work load and a steady following on all social media fronts. I attribute that to getting an early start on the whole SM scene way back in 2007. Yes, it has been that long! It’s insane to think back to the early days when it was just a handful of hopeful moms blogging in their pjs and working with brands for product. My oh my, how things have changed.

Not only have I noticed all the changes, which are both good and bad, I have also noticed myself change. I’m proud to say that I am slowly finding myself again aside from the influence of the blogging world. You see, unless you are a blogger yourself you don’t “get it”. It’s crazy out there and most days are filled with grown women publicly praising each other while behind the scenes they are in a “Secret” Facebook group bashing others. It’s a lot of unnecessary drama some days as well… “How dare this brand ask ME to post about their product for X amount of money… as if!” I have seen a lot of women who would otherwise not be making money, turn down $50 for a post because it’s “insulting” and forgetting the fact that it’s a BLESSING to be home in your pi’s and still make money. There are a ton of women who would LOVE to trade your position with you and glady accept that payment for a blog post.

I think a lot of bloggers have become entitled and forgot where they started. You have to stay humble, treat every project like it’s your 1st opportunity…it might be your last.

That makes me sad. And I see it way too much and I had to get out of the whole scene for a while. I can report that I don’t really “miss it”. I have made great friends and of course I respect the whole thing–I’m still blogging as you can see. However, I’m torn as to whether or not to go to BlogHer because of all of this. I don’t want to fight over swag at a party, I don’t want to feel like a lesser valued blogger because I didn’t get an invite to a “private party”, I don’t want to sit next to a bunch of snobs talk about what PR agency they are working with on what project and hear them complain about the pay, and I don’t want to feel left out of the “cool kids” group because I don’t spend 12 hours a day on Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Google+. ALL of this is how I have felt at one time when around bloggers.

I do want to meet brand representatives face to face. I DO want to sit next to bloggers who are moms and who are passionate about what they do, I do want to leave there with some cool stuff…

I don’t foresee my “Pros” outweighing my “Cons” list at this point… I guess I still have time to sell my pass… and pray about it.

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

Harsh winter winds, being indoors with the heat blasting and the lack of sunshine on your face can do some serious damage to your beauty routine. I always find myself pasty white, dry and flaky and in desperate need of pedicures to keep my feet from cracking. Every winter I spend some serious moolah on extras for the winter woes. Thankfully, Walgreens offers some fantastic finds for such weather as this. Here are  a few products and tips & tricks to soothe your winter beauty blues.

1) Put Your Best Face Forward- Starting off your day with a cleansed face can do wonders. Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser is a must. This gentle skin cleanser is non-greasy and perfect for all skin types. If you need to flake off some dead skin cells and get a good scrub, try Garnier Skin Renew the Brusher Gel Cleanser. It has a built-in soft brush applicator that works fabulously.

2) Pumice is your Friend- Dry and cracked heels look awful, but aren’t that bad to tame. Pick up a pumice stone from one of the many brands that Walgreens carries like Revlon. Also, you could just get the Walgreens brand; it’s just as good as any of the others and at a great value. Add a little DIY scrub to the stone such as petroleum jelly {also available at Walgreens, of course} and some sugar and scrub, scrub, scrub!

3) Soak Away the Day- Since Walgreens offers even more products online, I decided to take a gander and I found this delicious smelling product by Giovanni and it’s Organic, too. Giovanni Organic Body Care Bathe Moisturizing Body Bar in Raspberry Winter. Smells amazing. Cruelty free, no animal fats, biodegradable. ‘Nuff said!

4) Get Your Oil On- So, it doesn’t seem to make sense at first, we tend to think of oil as “bad”, but it doesn’t have to be! Walgreens carries lots of supplements and vitamins and one that you can pick up there that will do many things is Tea Tree Oil. An essential ingredient in most of my winter routines. You can Use a dab to treat acne, Add a small amount to shampoo to get rid of head lice {insider tip: my daughter has been lice-free thanks to adding this to her scalp– it has helped with keeping those pesky bugs away!}. Tea Tree Oil is also an excellent scalp conditioner that does wonders for dandruff!

5) Get a Tan- No, not a real one-ick! Stick to a natural and faux-tan that you can customize to your liking. Physicians Formula makes an organic and lovely bronzer/blush duo. Bronzer can do so much for the pale, pasty winter skin. It adds depth and warmth and also gives you that subtle sun-kissed look that will have people wondering… “Where did she just get back from? Vacation?”

Let me start by disclosing that I am NOT a hair dresser {obvi} or a colorist or anything even remotely related to that… I am just a DIY freak and an impatient mom on a budget who refused to pay $100-$120 to get this done to my hair. YES, that was the estimate I got from my local salon.

I’d also like to note that a Google search did not give me all the details that I needed to get from a dark brown brunette to this transitioning Ombre-esque look. It wasn’t as easy as I first thought, but I went into this with no real attachment to my hair to be honest. I figured my options were A: Re-color to a dark brown or B: Cut it off

I started off with a box of Frost & Glow for Dark Brown Hair from Walgreens {$7 on Sale} and ended up with this:

I didn’t like that I left it on for 1&1/2 hours and it wasn’t lifting enough, meaning that it was still too dark. I then went to Sally’s and talked to a Sales person who directed me to the straight bleach. I bought a kit for $9! I went home and decided that I wanted MORE lightening in the front so I literally grabbed a chunk from the front and a chunk from the other side in front and brushed the bleach on with the brush that came with the kit. I then wrapped them hair in foil, yes foil. It keeps the bleach on your hair and keeps it from drying out. I then ended up with this:

I wasn’t happy with the amount of orange still in the hair so I went to Sally’s again and bought a bottle of Purple shampoo.. yes, it really is called that and, Sally’s has a version that is a generic for the one that I was told to get by a friend who is a hair person– she said Clairol’s Shimmer Lights was the bomb– after researching online I found that the Sally’s generic was just as good so I bought that for $5.50 and a little bit is all you need. I washed the hair with that about 5 times- yes, 5! You don’t have to wait to do it… you can literally lather, rinse, repeat as many times as you wish. Just for extra measure I used a Light Ash Blonde hair dye and ended up with this:

Which, to be honest, I am not 100% satisfied with but I know that it will change with washes and time and I am going to keep using the purple shampoo everyday. I’ll keep you posted on the progress

So, now… what I wish someone would have told me BEFORE I started this process…

1) Use hair color remover FIRST! Just use it on the parts of your hair that you are going to Ombre

2) Use bleach- not a highlighting box. It’s just as inexpensive and you can get it at Sally’s! I have more bleach and developer left over for touch ups later- at least 2!

3) If your hair is fairly healthy you can do the bleach process twice and in the same day. I did and it wasn’t terrible at all.

4) Mayonaise is an amazing conditioner! Use this after the bleaching process and then let your hair rest for the night.

5) Ash Blonde is OK! Don’t be scurred, it won’t turn your hair green unless you leave it on too long!

Matthew 18:12 says

Click here to view the embedded video.

Leaving 99

I’m lost and broken
All alone on this road
The wheels keep turnin’
But the feelin’ is gone
When I fear I’m on my own
You remind me I am not alone
When You said

(Chorus)
I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you
For you alone
I’d leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you

It’s dark and lonely
And the path is unclear
Can’t move my feet
Because I’m frozen in fear
Then you say, “My child, my child
I am always here, I’m by your side”

(chorus)

You’re never too far down
I promise you’ll be found
I’ll reach into the mud and mirely clay
Pursue you to the end
Like a faithful friend
Nothing in this world can keep me away

(chorus)

It’s been 2 months since I heard the words that I can’t get out of my head… “yes, you are pregnant but, it’s not gonna stick”, and I’d be lying if I said I felt any better about any of it. I sometimes almost wish that I had just ignored what I felt and just waited a little longer. My body would’ve just done what it was gonna do anyway… Then, I probably would have just shrugged it off as being “really late” getting my period and I wouldn’t have known any of this was going on. There is no undoing this, ever.

My husband and I have decided that we aren’t going to have any more children. He is getting a vasectomy and the process of that also has added some doubt and second guessing in my own mind. If I sit and think logically, we are done…and it was a decision that was made before I even knew I was pregnant this last time so it isn’t like we made this decision on a whim. It doesn’t change the fact that this is just another added factor in my sadness. It’s all so final and so permanent. Like I said, in my “right mind” I know this makes sense and this is the best decision for our family, but it’s still hard. I’m still grieving…my question is, “When does it end?”

One of my best friends said something to me that helps, she said “You will probably never be truly over it…” and for some reason I felt like that was what I needed to hear, even though I already sorta knew that in my heart. I guess hearing someone else say it made it more acceptable. Why wouldn’t that be acceptable though, ya know? It’s a child… you are allowed to grieve for as long as you need to. Again, like I said in the initial post… some people can be OK with the loss of a miscarried baby and others can’t. I can’t.

I have no sonogram photos to save, I have no pictures, I have no ashes to put in a box… I have nothing to really “remember” this baby by… I don’t know if that should makes this easier or harder? Which brings me to the next question, after I have my ceremony at the beach will I feel any better? Will having a picture and a memory make it feel more “done” and over with? Obviously I don’t expect anyone to have the answers for me except God. It’s still new… 2 months isn’t a long time I guess. The truth is that I have a hard time processing things like this. My great-grandmother passed away when I was 9 years old and I still don’t think that I ever really processed that correctly… my grandmother is slowly fading and I can’t even begin to tell you how hard that has been… it’s a lot going on right now.

We are doing the beach memorial tomorrow…

You and your spouse need to develop a strategy to prevent infidelity. Here are some things that can help.

10. Love your neighbor as yourself. Betraying your spouse reveals that you love and value self-gratification over your spouse. You are practicing hate toward your spouse and toward your children by inviting Satan into your family. You are also practicing hate by inviting Satan into your sexual partner’s family. Loving your neighbor means denying selfishness.

9. Confess your sins to one another. Discuss with your spouse where your areas of temptation are most likely to occur. When you fall, confess your failure to your spouse. Give one another permission to ask questions at any time about areas of temptation. Use software such as Covenant Eyes to guard you from online temptation.

8. Prayer for protection from the enemy. Jesus modeled for us in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Follow the Lord’s example of praying for yourself and your spouse; you will both need it.  Regularly pray with one another for protection from sexual temptation.

7. Avoid becoming too familiar with members of opposite sex. You must be on guard about spending time with anyone who is not your spouse. If a member of the opposite sex compliments you or makes any kind of advance, mention your spouse and end the conversation. If temptation enters your mind, like Joseph, flee the scene.

6. Employ the “principle of twos” used by Jesus. When Jesus sent His disciples away from the flock, He sent them out in twos. He said “I send you out as lambs among wolves.” Wolves separate a sheep from the flock in order to devour them. Dr. Billy Graham has never allowed himself to be alone with a member of the opposite sex; follow his example.  Always have at least one other family member or trusted person with you when you leave your “flock.”

5. Accountability and transparency. You must be completely honest and open with your spouse. Only as you and your spouse are transparent can an environment of trust and accountability be established. If you are on social networking sites, establish one account in both of your names with a photo of you together. Join a church that practices church discipline, and make yourself accountable to the church.

4. Listen to one another. Don’t give the devil a chance to establish a foothold in your marriage because you won’t listen to your spouse. Take the time to be together so that you may listen to one another and give yourselves to each other as well.

3. Express your love regularly. Marriages can get into trouble because one or both spouses are not working hard at loving and serving one another. Express your love daily to your spouse. Make sure that Christ is first in your heart and that you are following Him in your marriage relationship. There will be times when your spouse is not acting in a loving manner toward you. If you are following Christ, it won’t become a crisis. You will love your spouse regardless. Keeping a marriage strong is hard work, but it is possible. Keep working on it, and you will establish a sound foundation that will serve you well in discipling your children.

2. Make time together a priority. Spend lots of time together. Do fun things together. Go on date nights.  The apostle Paul instructed couples to not deny one another; we are to render affection to one another (1 Cor 7:3).  Sexual affection is one of the greatest blessings of marriage; take full advantage of that blessing! I read about one young couple with children who put on a video for the children on a frequent basis when the dad arrived home from work and had a brief intimate encounter. Discuss the needs of one another and work hard to meet them.

1. Die to self. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church; to give themselves up for them. Christ loved the church so much that He literally died for the church. Loving your wife this way means more than being willing to physically die for her. It means that you’re willing to die daily to yourself. Loving your wife enough to die to your own selfish motives will give her joy and enable her to better fulfill her God-given role. If you truly love your wife as Christ loves the church, she will be more inclined to submit to and respect you. Wives are commanded to submit to and respect their husbands. Loving your husband this way will give Him great joy and enable Him to better fulfill His God-given role. If you submit to and respect your husband, it will be easier for him to love you as Christ loved the church.

Paul told the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitated Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). We want our children to do the same. Setting a Christ-like example in our marriages is foundational. After all, we are discipling our children with the hope that they will make disciples of their own families one day.

Originally posted on Disciple Like Jesus

Kids can be picky and hard to please, I’ve often found this yummy smoothie to be a crowd pleaser at parties for kids. What is fabulous about it is that you can add fresh fruit to it once you have it all blended up. Serve with strawberry slices, raspberries or even chunks of banana on top and feel free to add special little umbrellas, too.

Ingredients:

1 whole banana

1 container of Strawberry yogurt

1 cup of Orange, Pineapple or Apple juice, alternatively you can add Mango nectar for a really unique taste

Ice to preferred consistency

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in fancy champagne glasses, plastic of course. You can also serve in colored ice cream dishes as well and add a straw or fun spoon.

For the older kid crowd, you can set-up a smoothie bar, let them pick and choose which additional fruits and juices they want in their basic smoothie mix of banana and strawberry yogurt.

Religion sucks, lets just be honest
Oh ya this poem might offend some of you, actually nah that’s a promise.
One reason I hate religion is because they usually choose
To propogate a moralistic gay hating republican jesus you see on fox news
If religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor?
Tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever been divorced
Yet God in the Old Testament actually calls the religious people whores
but before you accuse me, realize those are his words not mine,
He says, “Israel has played the whore in their actions!” Psalm 106 verse 39
Religion preaches grace, but another thing they practice,
Tend to ridicule Gods people, they did it to John the Baptist,
Cant fix their problems, so they try to mask it,
Not realizing that’s just like sprayin perfume on a casket
Because the problem with religion is that it never gets to the core,
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.
Let’s dress up the outside, make things look nice and neat,
Its funny that’s what they do to mummies, while the corpse rots underneath,
Now I ain’t judging I’m just saying be careful of putting on a fake look,
Because there’s a problem if people only know that you’re a Christian by that little section on your facebook
In every other aspect of life you know that logics unworthy
Its like saying you play for the seahawks just because you bought a jersey
But see I played this game too; no one seemed to be on to me,
I was acting like church kid, while addicted to pornography.
A slave to lust i started calling girls sluts and hoes,
Even worse telling them “I Love You”, just so they’d take off their clothes.
I’d go to church on Sunday, but on saturday getting faded,
Acting as if I was simply created to have sex and get wasted.
I didn’t actually love Jesus I just played the game, didn’t think I needed to change,
Didn’t let the cross transform me, I just wanted to wear it on my chain.
Spend my whole life putting on this façade of neatness,
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.
If grace is water, then the church should be an ocean,
Cuz its not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken
I no longer have to hide my failures I don’t have to hide my sin,
Because my salvation doesn’t depend on me, it depends on him.
because when I was Gods enemy and certainly not a fan,
God looked down on me and said, “I want that man!”
Which is so different from religious people, which is why Jesus called em fools
Don’t you see hes so much better than just following some rules?
Because religious people say don’t smoke, don’t drink, and no having sex
But Jesus says psh enjoy it all! In its proper context

Now back to the topic, one thing I think is vital to mention,
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums,
One is the work of God one is a man made invention,
One is the cure and one is the infection.
I used to think I had to do good for God to love me, I thought that’s who he was,
But I realized I can rest, because in Jesus he already does.
Because religion is diametrically opposed to the gospel
One says try to earn heaven, but Jesus receive freely, earning is impossible,
Because Religion says do, Jesus says done.
Religion says slave, Jesus says son,
Religion puts you in shackles but Jesus sets you free.
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see.
Religion only attacks the behavior, when Jesus attacks the seed,
Religion picks off the bad fruit, when Jesus just plants a new tree.

This is what makes religion and Jesus two different clans,
Religion is man searching for God, but Christianity is God searching for man.
Which is why salvation is freely mine, forgiveness is my own,
Not based on my efforts, but Jesus’ obedience alone.
Because he took the crown of thorns, and blood that dripped down his face
He took what I deserved, that’s why we call it grace.
While being murdered he yelled “father forgive them, they know not what they do”,
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
He paid for all your sin, and then buried it in the tomb,
Which is why im kneeling at the cross now saying come on there’s room
So know I hate religion, in fact I literally resent it
Because when Jesus cried It is finished, I believe He meant it.