Wordless Wednesday

I really enjoy seeing others' Wordless Wednesday posts, so I've decided to jump on the digital bandwagon! Here is my first (not so) Wordless Wednesday photo.  Andrew and I are in front of a gorgeous bunch of wild roses at my parents' house.

Hope your day was a great one!

Read More

Product Review: Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Daily Sunblock

I was chosen by Tidal Labs to review Neutrogena's UltraSheer Liquid daily sunblock. I've been using the sunblock on my face and neck for about a week now and I must say, "Bravo Neutrogena!"

The sunblock is a super protective SPF 70 and contains helioplex, a sun protection technology that blocks both uva and uvb rays. My Google searching tells me that uvb rays burn the skin, while uva rays cause more long-term damage that ages the skin, so its great that UltraSheer protects against both.

The sunblock definitely does what it promises to and does it well. Though it felt a bit thick going on, it became light and moisturizing on my skin a few minutes after application. And, most importantly, my face hasn't gotten burnt at all after several long walks with Andrew during blazing mid-day sunlight (don't worry, my fair baby redhead is always covered up when we're out and about!) I haven't noticed any skin breakouts or irritation from the sunblock either.

The only negatives are that my husband doesn't like the scent of Ultrasheer when I first put it on, so thankfully it quickly fades away. Also, maybe I just have a big face (ha!), but a couple drops of the sunblock as noted in the application directions are not enough for me. I've got to use at least a nickel-sized amount and at around $17 for 1.4 fl oz of sunblock, I'm not certain how expensive it would get for me down the line. (I'll be sure to report back on how long the bottle lasts!)

I really do like the UltraSheer liquid, though, and think Neutrogena is onto a good thing here with a really protective sunblock that is light enough to be worn like lotion under makeup. My mom has had numerous basal cell growths removed from her face, so I know how important it is to shield yourself from the sun. You know, we take such precautions to shield our children with SPF 100, but we sometimes forget about ourselves!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free for review purposes from Tidal Labs. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More

Gardening for the soul

We decided to plant a garden this year, both at my parents' house up north and on our bitty porch in Queens. And while we're by no means experts at gardening, our little plot is already bearing figurative fruit.


Both my husband, who is always in pain from his HVAC job, and my dad, who had a stroke two years ago and still works a super-demanding paving job, are like little kids working in that garden! They're always coming up with new ways to make it better (irrigation system, anyone?) and are so proud of the sprouting vegetables.

My mom, who actually IS a gardening expert thanks to my grandpa, has been amazing sharing all of her knowledge with us. She knows just how to pick a zucchini flower to make into an omelet and how to plant cucumbers in wide rows. And, best of all, I think doing something that her father loved to do brings back happy memories (you know, he counted all of his tomatoes so he'd know when one was stolen!).

And I am loving how close together the garden is making us.  If I had known there was so much spiritual wellness to be harvested from a garden, we would have planted one years ago!

Read More

Adventures in Baby Food

With Love in Spoonfuls as my guide, I made up a pretty mean sweet potato puree for Andrew last night. Of course, I didn't follow the directions completely and ended up with a thick mush that needs milk added after it is thawed, but I think I did well for my first go-round! Most importantly, Andrew gobbled it up!

The finished product (frozen using my ice cube tray and not as glamorous looking as the cubes in the cookbook):

I'm pleased with the results and the modest savings. Four small sweet potatoes cost me 70 cents at my corner produce market (ah, Queens and your produce markets) and made about 20 servings--that's a savings of about $2 compared with the $1 Gerber double packs at the local Stop & Shop. Also, the frozen homemade food lasts longer (3 months) than the opened store-bought food.  

What have your experiences been with making your own baby purees? I'm definitely going to continue to do it, especially when we are eating a vegetable for dinner that Andrew can have. That, I think, is the key to getting the most benefit out of homemade baby purees.

That and following the recipes... or at least using cooking common sense, which I don't have!

Read More