Keeping Yourself Soft And Fragrant Doesn't Have To Be Expensive

I'm a typical female when it comes to feeling good about myself. One way I can still do that on a budget that is very tight is with shower gels, lotions and bath spray.

The good thing about these products is that you can find them in just about every store -- Target and corner drug stores like CVS, etc. However, my favorite place to purchase these products is at Bath and Body Works. You can find great sales most of the time and the fragrances are wonderful, and the stores are located in most malls. You can also check them out online.

I love all their products, but my favorites are Japanese Cherry Blossom and Dancing Waters. My daughter loves Sweet Pea. Personally I think they all smell great and it just depends on your preference.

I signed up in the store and gave them my e-mail and I'm always alerted regarding sales, etc. The products range from bath products, including shampoos and conditioners, to candles.





The other good thing is that most of these products will last a very long time. With shower gel you need only about a nickel-sized amount on a bath sponge or puff and it lathers up very nicely. It smells great and is refreshing. After a long, stressful day what's better than a nice bath or shower? Light a candle and enjoy!

I still believe that a nice hot bath with products like these will do anyone a world of good. With the terrible economy now, we especially need time once in awhile for ourselves. A bath with wonderful products such as this is a very inexpensive way to accomplish this and not feel guilty.

The other thing is you don't have to spend a lot of money. Maybe one shower gel, one body spray and one lotion. It really won't cost much and you can always add items when you have a little money. That way, you shouldn't feel guility to spend a little cash on yourself.

Again, I believe these products are made in the USA, in Ohio. So feel good about that too! One compaint I have is I wish companies would start proudly displaying on their packages "Made in the USA". I pay attention to these labels and try to buy everything that is made in this country. We need to start taking care of our own people here in America. Making sure everyone who wants a job has a job. One way to accomplish this is make sure to read the labels carefully. I think it's worth the extra effort, and so will that American family who can keep their job.

Another great American pastime is baseball and I'm proud to announce that my husband is now writing for TheBaseballPage.com. If you or someone in your family loves baseball this is the place for you. Great articles and lots of historical information. Check it out, you'll be glad you did.

Have a great and stress-free day!

How to Keep A Parading Kid (and others) Warm? Here's How!

My daughter’s high school marching band will be in The America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year in Detroit. I am so proud of the band, and of course Nicole. However, putting that aside, this started to create a problem in the beginning and that was: how to keep her warm all morning beginning at 7:00 a.m. until the time she returns home?

Keep in mind, we live in Michigan and November can be pretty cold. Our neighbors are Canada and I can see Russia from my back door. You betcha! Of course, I’m just kidding about Russia, but we do get the Canadian winds and we are also surrounded by the Great Lakes. I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life and I know from experience how cold November can be, especially early in the morning. For instance, we already have snow on the ground and it’s only November 17th.

When I went to our parent’s monthly band meeting, they mentioned getting the kids a product called Under Armour. Now I had never heard of this product before-- so off I went dragging my poor mom along to our local sports store. Ouch! We looked at this product and it looked to us like long underwear except for the price. For a top and bottom it would cost around $127.00, and that’s before the tax. If you can afford it by all means go buy it because I heard it really does keep you very warm. However, if you are like I am and you’re on a budget and about a month away from Christmas this is simply not an option. My first reaction was being mad how expensive the Under Armour is. Now my problem remains: how do I keep my child warm and be able to afford it?

My first thought was to layer her clothes. This is affordable, but it may be bulky. I have to keep in mind she is marching and I also have to get it under her band uniform. So we continued to look around the sports store. We ended up finding some pretty cool products all for under $4.00 each. We found hand warmers with an adhesive body warmer which was included in the package. The hand warmers with body warmer cost only $2.79. I also found mini hand warmers and foot warmers. The mini hand warmers were $0.99 and the foot warmers were $2.99.

The company that distributes this product is called Grabber. Even though they are made in Japan they are distributed by Grabber which is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. So hopefully I am helping keep some Michigan people working. The economy could sure use it around here.
The website is http://www.warmers.com/, which shows them in bulk. However, the warmers I bought were sold individually and that made it more affordable. My suggestion would be to go to your local sports store first and just ask about them.

The only negative is you can only use them once. The mini hand warmers last about 7+ hours according to the package. The foot warmers last 5+, regular hand warmers last 7+, and the body warmer last 12+ hours, which is plenty of time for our use. Regardless, it's a great and affordable product.


Another advantage the products have, other than being affordable, is that they are non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and odorless. Plus they have all-natural ingredients and are non-combustible, so they are very safe. Like any product you use, please make sure to read all the directions on the package.

After I picked up this product I drove to Target and bought long johns for my daughter. The top and the bottom were $4.99 each. I may still add layers depending on how cold it is on Thanksgiving, but all and all I am able to keep my daughter quite warm for under $20.00. In this day in age that is saying something.

These hand and foot warmers could have many uses. If kids are playing in the snow for long periods of time this is a great source of added warmth that is quite affordable. They would be great for any winter outdoor sport. My mom has arthritis and I’m sure it would be wonderful for helping that also.

Again, the website is http://www.warmers.com/ and the phone number is 800-423-1233. What a super way to stay warm during winter with these wonderful, affordable products!

Good luck to my daughter’s band in the Thanksgiving Day Parade! We’re all proud of you!!!

Here’s to the beginning of a long, but hopefully warmer winter. Cheers!

Microwaveable Thermos Bowls Keep Food Hot For Kids' Lunches

How would you like to give your child a hot, home-cooked meal to eat at school without a lot of fuss?

I found this great product to use. It's a bowl made by Aladdin and it's great! In it, you can put leftovers from dinner the night before or soup; basically anything you want to reheat.

The terrific thing about this bowl is, you put the food in it, place it in the microwave, heat it up -- it takes about 3 minutes in mine -- and put a lid on it. It keeps the food nice and hot for hours and you won't have to pay for the hot school lunches. It also comes with a spoon in the top of the lid. Talk about convenient. It saves time and money and gives your child a nutritious hot lunch.

It's also nice because it beats a cold sandwich every day, which kids get sick of. It opens up a whole new world, while giving your child a healthy home-cooked meal.

My daughter loves a hot lunch, but she complains that by the time she gets through the school lunch line, she doesn't have enough time to eat.

I don't know about you, but I refuse to pay $3.75 for a school lunch that my child doesn't have enough time to eat. It's expensive and on top of that, a waste of food. Things are too expensive to have to throw out food because the schools don't give these kids enough time to eat.

Now my daughter can have a hot home-cooked meal for lunch even when she is in school.

The other nice thing about the Aladdin bowl is you can heat the food in the microwave so there are no dirty pots or pans to clean.

If you can find this product, try it. I think you will love it! I found mine at one of my favorite stores, Target -- in the same aisle with the thermoses, etc. I believe we paid $7.99. A good deal.