Favorite Sunscreen

I use sunscreen on my face every single day of the year, without fail.  I've recently switched to a new sunscreen and I. am. in. love!

My new fave:

Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer liquid (spf 55).
It is truly sheer.  It doesn't leave my face oily.  It's like wearing your favorite moisturizer.  Once it is absorbed you don't even know it is there!  You can apply makeup on top without it getting cakey.

I have tried sooo many sunblocks over the years.  I personally use spf 30 as a minimum.  I have found that most sunscreens over 30 leave my face feeling greasy or worse, white.  Like I could star in the next Twilight film white.  Not a good look for me ( or really, anyone).

So glad I found a sunblock that works really well and doesn't feel like sunblock :)

Keeping wrinkles at bay,
TechnoMom

Took the kids to see "The Last Airbender" this weekend.  We really enjoyed it.  The ages of the kids spanned from 5-14 years old.  Adults liked it too!  Check it out if you get a chance.  Fun entertainment.

NeuroticMom

Baffled

I just ordered my son a wristband at powerbalance.com.  It's a really cool product.  A friend of his left his wristband here last week and we tried it out.  Apparently it works with your body's energy.  I know it sounds a little weird, but it really worked.  If you stand straight and put your arm out in front of you, keep your feet in a solid, stationary position and move your arm around your body as far as you can (without having the wristband on) - mark how far you were able to go.  Then, put the band on and try the same thing again.  Four out of five of us could move further around our body.  My husband did not believe it was the wristband.  But now I am seeing these things everywhere - professional athletes are giving testimonials and wearing it (it comes in different styles and colors).

My son's orange and white wristband arrives on the 16th and he's so excited.  So, we will cross our fingers and hope it's not a waste of $30.

All keep you posted,

NeuroticMom

Miserable People

I've had it with coaches who do not give a shit about a kid's feelings.  Every time an error is made, every time a kid doesn't get a hit - something is said to bring them down, not boost them up.  Why do we let people like this coach?  Then, even if you do things right, why aren't you told what a good job you've done?

Last night my eleven year old had a baseball game.  They lost 6-9.  But the loss is not what has everyone fired up today - it's the mistreatment of the kids.  Everyone is really upset about seeing my son hysterically crying coming out of the dugout at the end of the game.  You see, he doesn't cry.  He's known for that.  He cried several times during the course of a six inning game last night.  They said he missed a sign - six other kids on the team said he didn't - and he made the last out of the game.  I should tell you that he played the entire game at second base, had no errors, walked twice, got hit by a pitch and that last out of the game was a few feet away from being a grand slam.  But none of that seems to matter.  The coach who screamed at him for missing the sign, picked his bat up when the outfielder caught his ball and threw it at a fence.  Son asked him why he did it, coach said he was frustrated and son told him, "It doesn't belong to you."  Isn't that simple - "it doesn't belong to you". AND you should set a good example.

The lesson I told my son last night: a man is not jugded by the way he reacts to things during good times, it's when times are tough that a man is truly tested and judged.  It's easy to make the right decision when we are happy and life is great.

I think at this point, a parent may go nuts tonight if one of these kids gets yelled at and starts crying.  And to all of the coaches out there: you won't get a child's respect and best playing efforts when they're scared to death.  Be a good example and the kids will want to win for you, not because they're afraid of you!  Of course this does not apply to people who are coaching their own kids - that's a whole different story!

I've vented,
NeuroticMom

Funny Story

My husband and two of the boys went to the grocery store the other night to pick up a few things.  I was sick in bed with a sinus infection.  My children rarely go the the grocery store.  Why?  Because it's too much aggravation and I don't like to spend money on the things they always ask for.  It's easier to go alone!  Of course, they have to help unload the car when I get home!

Anyway, back to the story:  older son went in one direction taking what mom had said over the speaker phone in the car literally - "let them each get a few things that they want".  He went in search of the little coke glass bottles (came home with 2 six packs).  Ridiculous! My husband and other son were frustrated and just wanted to get what they needed and get the hell out of the store.  So what did they do? - hid behind a display on the son who went in search of the glass soda bottles. 

What happens? - two of the older son's girl friends came up behind them and asked where son #1 was and what my husband and son #2 were doing?  Well of course they wanted to join in the fun. Can't picture it but would have paid money to see it - my husband, fourteen year old son, a fifteen year old girl and sixteen year old girl hiding behind a display at the Acme! 

LOL,
NeuroticMom

Tough Conversation

Last night, my husband and I decided to tell my children something that we have always wanted to tell them, but never really had a reason to do.  I got a phone call yesterday from my parents saying my uncle is very ill.  He has had cancer in the past, but is now in the hospital.  They have found spots on his liver and pancreas.  It doesn't look good.  After I hung up the phone, I told my husband that we need to tell the children.  I've said it here and there over the years if someone has become sick, but we would decide not to.  Time would pass.  This time he agreed. 

Soon after we were married, I became pregnant, carried the baby seven months, went for a routine check-up and the doctor could not find a heartbeat.  I was induced and delivered a perfect, tiny baby boy that had gotten wrapped in his umbilical cord.  We were devasted.  We held a small funeral with immediate family and his name was placed on the tombstone of my family's plot.  My children have never been to the cemetery.  It's in NY.  My husband and I would visit it occassionally or I would go when the kids were little and we were there for a visit.  Our oldest son was born ten months later and time went on.

It's always been right there - the two of us wanting to tell them, worrying that they would be mad and upset when they found out.  Our oldest will be sixteen.  Being a neurotic female, I thought it might change their lives, worried they would become depressed, etc.  They were great.  After a really nice conversation and many questions and many realizations ("I would be a middle child, not the oldest", "I'm the fourth, not the third", "was he cute?", "how sad were you when you had him?", "when was he born?", etc.), life went on.  More questions will pop up I'm sure - one was "will we be buried with him someday?" - which turned into a conversation about when they get married and have a family of their own. 

I'm relieved it's out there now and thankful they appeared fine with the news.  

A weight's been lifted,
NeuroticMom

Mom 101

Good morning:)

Thought I'd pass along a tid bit of information with the mosquitos and other bugs that drive me crazy, mocking us this time of year.

My youngest son got out of the pool a few days ago and had a few bug bites on his neck.  The bites were in a cluster.  Within 36-48 hours he had a few more bite-looking marks in that area and it was spreading.  He is highly prone to poison ivy, oak, sumac, etc.  Since he was going to the doctor Friday morning to have staples taken out of his head from a previous pool incident, I asked the doctor what it was.  He has a staff infection - probably from a bug bite. Ten days of bactrim.  He already hates it but the infection already looks better, after only 3 doses.  He has to stay out of the pool for a few days and not share towels with anyone.  Pretty easy - I'm just concerned of the side effects as the medicine builds up in his system.  Hopefully his stomach will be able to handle it.

It never ends,
NeuroticMom

The Karate Kid

I took my youngest and a few of his friends to the movies today.  We saw The Karate Kid and I have to say it was really good.  I'm always leary of a remake - aren't we all?  Well, you will be pleasantly surprised.  I loved Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.  The kids had a ball and I'm "cool" mom today.

NeuroticMom

Tennis Anyone?

WOW - if you didn't have a chance to see Wimbledon today, watch Sports Center or go on the internet.  It was unbelievable!  Isner had it right at the suspension of play today - "This will never happen again!"
How could it?  The next closest match in the records book ended at 21-19 in the fifth set.

Good luck tomorrow.  Pretty good day for US sports between soccer and tennis.

Exhausted from watching,
NeuroticMom

World Cup Baby!

Go USA!

Even though soccer is not as popular here in the USA, we love it.  And of course we are praying for a USA win this morning. 

Bring home a win,

NeuroticMom