First Visit from the Tooth Fairy

It almost saddens me that my youngest has already lost her first tooth! Yes, she's already 5-1/2 and it is time for her to start losing teeth, but that still doesn't make it any easier. 

She had a shark tooth coming in behind her baby tooth, so the dentist told us we should definitely start wiggling the baby tooth so that the permanent tooth could move forward properly. So we wiggled and wiggled. I got a tap on the shoulder at 4am from my daughter letting me know her tooth fell out while she was sleeping. What luck she woke up when it fell out and she didn't swallow it!

She wondered if we should put her tooth under her pillow right then and there, but explained everyone would want to see her tooth before she left it for the tooth fairy. 

We put her tooth under her pillow and the tooth fairy brought her $3!!! And that is exactly what she woke me up at 6:30am to tell me. 

With an eight year old, the tooth fairy has been visiting us for a few years now and we have learned a thing or two.  

But here is my big question: how much does your tooth fairy exchange for a tooth?

Posted by Leslie

What has the Most Germs in a Hotel Room?

The TV Remote!

In fact, it often has more germs than the toilet seat.

Travel tip: I don't know about you, but I am going to bring antibacterial wipes to use on the remote the next time I stay in a hotel!

Click here to read about another important health/germ safety tip when staying at a hotel.

Finally: Cold Sore Relief for My Kid

Oh, the things we pass on to our kids.  My seven-year old son, unfortunately, suffers from cold sores.  He gets them at the onset of a cold (hence the name) and he gets them from sun exposure.  As a cold sore sufferer myself, I know how annoying and uncomfortable they can be. Certainly, there are worse things that could be happening, but it still pains me to see him get a cold sore, especially since he is so young.  He has even missed school because the health nurse was afraid his cold sore could have been impetigo. 

I am able to keep cold sores under control with a prescription of an oral medication (Acyclovir), but my son hasn't taken any prescription medication other than an antibiotic when he's had an infection.  I have tried my best to apply Abreva as often as possible when he gets cold sores, but it doesn't seem to help much.

I decided it was time to take him to his doctor about this.  While his pediatrician wasn't really comfortable prescribing an oral medication (phew! neither was I), she was able to prescribe for him a topical medication, Denavir (topical antiviral), that should work significantly better than Abreva.

When I called the pharmacy to verify the medication was ready to pick up, they were very quick to tell me that the prescription was a brand name and thus $58.  The funny thing about this particular medication: it's been around for many, many years.  So many years, that my husband, in fact, promoted this medication in his first pharmaceutical sales position.  Luckily, with our exposure to the pharmaceutical industry, I knew there was a chance the brand had some sort of rebate program.  So, I Googled the medication, and sure enough, I found a rebate program that brought my co-pay to only $15.  That's a definite "mommy me likey!"


RESULT:
I am happy to report that after just 3 days of applying Denavir, my son's cold sore is gone!  This is significantly faster than the 2 weeks it took with his previous cold sore.  Hooray!


Posted by Leslie

Get Rid of Dry Flaky Lips...

This time of year my lips feel so dry and seems to peel or flake quite often.  My quick fix: a toothbrush!


That's right!  All you have to do is use a damp toothbrush to gently brush/slough off the dry skin.  Brushing your lips can actually be a great way to give yourself a little lip exfoliation.  You'd be amazed at how much better they feel and look.  (If I can remember, I try to brush my lips when brushing my teeth in the morning. Not only do you teeth look and feel great, but now your lips can, too.)

Posted by Leslie

Get Glasses Online With the Help of a Virtual Mirror + {Giveaway}

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

Have you ever purchased eyeglasses online?

Seems like a scary process, but I have found a great website that makes it super easy to order glasses at affordable prices.  GlassesUSA.com has a great selection of eyeglasses that you can try on without physically touching the glasses. 

How does that work?

The virtual mirror is an amazingly fun tool where you can upload a picture of yourself and try on and compare all the different glasses options.  Cool, right?!?

Here I am trying out the virtual mirror!

It's that fun and silly part of being in the store making faces at yourself trying on glasses, but now even easier from the comfort of your own home.  For this busy mom, getting to the grocery store can be difficult, let alone getting to an eyeglass store.  Top it off with free shipping for deliveries and any possible returns, it really makes ordering glasses online a no-brainer.

In addition to the high quality frames (Coach, Tom Ford, Spy, and Nike are just a few of the brands you can choose from) and lenses they provide, GlassesUSA.com also offers a 110% lowest price guarantee and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  If you find a lower price on a different site than what you found on GlassesUSA.com for your purchase, they will refund 110% of the difference between the items up to the price listed on their site. That definitely exudes confidence in their eyeglasses pricing, doesn't it?

As a Houses, Couches and Babies reader, you can take an extra 15% off + get free shipping on your entire order (orders over $50).  Simply enter the promo code FS15 at checkout.  You can also take 10% off any order of prescription glasses by using the promo code Blog10.

Hooray!  It's a Giveaway!

(1) lucky HC&B reader will win a $50 GlassesUSA.com gift certificate.  Please use the Rafflecopter options below to enter.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Colds are SO Not Fun!

It is day 2 of summer vacation and my 4-1/2-year old has a stuffy nose, cough and low grade fever. This is not how we wanted to start summer vacation at all!

I Read an Entire Book While on Vacation- That's a Big Deal People!!!

Back in April, I bought a copy of Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler for our planned vacation to Cancun in May. (Oh, and I got Handler's autograph at the taping I went to. Yes, I am a BIG Chelsea Handler fan.) But then that whole swine flu outbreak scared everyone and our vacation was cancelled.

Finally, we went on vacation last week (as you may have noticed) and I was determined to finish this book. I had read seven pages from April to September. The time I have to read while not on vacation is impressive, I know. But I must say, I am so proud of myself. These days, I can't even read an entire People Magazine, let alone an entire book!

I will admit, my opinion is obviously skewed because I am a big fan of Handler's, but I must say the book was hilarious. My husband gave me interesting looks every time I laughed out loud. And let me just tell you, he gave me a lot of interesting looks. I loved it. I want to be Chelsea Handler's friend. Or I just wish I could be as sassy as her and her comments (both in the book and on TV).

If you are looking for a book that isn't serious, but instead a crack up, definitely check out Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea.

$50K Happier???

I learned an interesting fact today from Oprah. On a repeat episode yesterday she revealed an interesting piece of information from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Research shows that a couple increasing the amount of sex they have from once a month to once a week can bring them as much happiness as a $50,000 raise.

Now you know how to feel $50,000 richer! Oh, happy day!

Do You Really Have to Turn Off Your Car When Filling Up with Gas?

As I was sitting in the car with my 2 kids while my husband got out to get gas, I thought to myself, does he really need to turn off the car? I thought of this because I quickly began suffocating due to the 97 degree heat outside.

So, again, I ask the question, Do you really need to turn your car off when filling up for gas?

I went searching on the web and found that yes you do need to turn your car off. Here are two explanations as to why you should do so:

• "The biggest reason is the alternator. When running, a car's alternator is always generating electricity. While doing this, it is producing a small spark inside where the brushes contact the stator. This tiny spark is al it takes to start a gas fire. For this very reason, even diesel vehicles need to be turned of when near gasoline pumps. I worked for Union Oil briefly and was shown training films about this that would curl your toes. "(Courtesy of answers.yahoo.com)


• "It could start a fire if the fumes from the gas being pumped get close enough to a source of ignition, though that is not really a concern today with the new vapor recovery nozzles that almost every gas station uses these days. Some of the other risky things that leaving your vehicle running while you are pumping your fuel are if the shifter is not completely in park it could move and your vehicle could move on it's own running you over or hitting the car behind or in front of you,if a child or a pet is in the vehicle they could hit the shifter by accident and the same problems as described above could happen. Another thing to be concerned about is static electricity between your body and the fuel pump that is why the tell you to touch a metal object like your cars body to discharge any static electricity before you pick up the fuel nozzle because if a spark from static electricity finds any fuel on or in the nozzle a fire will start on you faster than you can react,and THAT WILL DEFINITELY RUIN YOUR DAY QUICKLY. "(Courtesy of answerbag.com)

During the hot summer months, I highly recommend filling your car up with gas in the early morning or evening if your will have passengers in the car.

What is Your Real Age?

I stumbled across a fun little test to figure out my "real age" based on my health and lifestyle. The test was put together by Oprah's favorite doctor, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and his book writing partner, Dr. Michael Roizen.

Click here to check out the Real Age Test yourself. It takes 10-20 minutes to complete, but the results are very interesting.

My "real age" is 24.1...even though my chronological age is 30.8. (Not to brag or anything!) Take the test and comment back here what your real age is!

Where Should Things Go in the Fridge?

Ever wonder where to store food in your fridge for optimal freshness?

Here are some tips courtesy of American Baby magazine:

• Produce: Store fruit in one crisper and your vegetables in another. Green veggies require more humidity, so set drawers accordingly. Apples can cause other fruits to rot so seal them in plastic.


• Cheese and Butter: Keep in the deli drawer since cool air routed to this drawer keeps these foods very cold without freezing them.


• Milk: Dairy will spoil faster on the fridge door where it is warmer so keep milk on a lower shelf.


• Eggs: Store these protein filled beauties on a cooler lower shelf and keep them in the carton so they won't absorb other food odors.


• Meat, poultry, and seafood: Place in a sealed container to prevent raw juices from contaminating other foods. Store on the bottom shelf in case of drips.

With summer's heat in full swing, these tips will keep your food at its best!

Good Foods for Great Skin

Food - most people are worried about what it will do to your figure. Some people are more concerned with how food will affect their health. But what about the body's largest organ, skin?

The food you eat greatly impacts the health and glow of your skin. So here are 10 foods that are great for your skin...

1. Avocado: This creamy, green fruit (yes, it is considered a fruit!) is abundant in essential oils and B-complex vitamins that nourish your skin on the inside as well as the outside.
2. Mangoes: This sweet treat provides 80% of your daily vitamin A requirements, which maintains and repairs skin cells.
3. Almonds: This nut provides 150% of your daily vitamin E requirements, which has rich oils that moisturize dry skin, while its antioxidants protect against skin damage and premature aging of facial tissue.
4. Cottage Cheese: This dairy delight has Selenium, an essential mineral, which when teamed up with vitamin E acts as a powerful free radical-fighting antioxidant duo. Plus, Selenium has been touted to protect against skin cancer and even fight dandruff.
5. Acerola Cherries: One single Acerola cherry supplies 100% of your daily allowance for vitamin C, which fights against skin damage and wrinkles, and helps in the production of collagen. (Keep in mind, this only applies to this type of cherry.)
6. Oysters: This treasure from the sea is a rich source of zinc which can help fight acne.
7. Baked Potatoes: One baked potato eaten with the skin supplies 75% of your daily need for copper, which works hand-in-hand with vitamin C and zinc to produce the elastin fibers that support skin structure.
8. Mushrooms: Rich in riboflavin, mushrooms can improve skin blemishes caused by rosacea.
9. Flaxseed Oil: A great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which hydrates the skin and can help prevent acne.
10. Wheat Germ: A great source of biotin, a B vitamin that is crucial to skin health, which is so important to healthy skin that a mild deficiency can actually cause dermatitis

Have fun taking care of your skin!

Information courtesy of lifescript.com

Fun Fact for Your Child

With the summer heat, I am sure your child is loving every ounce of ice cream s/he gets to intake. But does your child know what ice cream is made of?

Here is a simple fun fact to help educate your child on what they are eating.

Fun Fact:
Ice cream is made from whipped-up milk with sugar added.

(Ideally, that is what ice cream should be made from, but if you look on the carton of ice cream these days, there seems to be many more ingredients.)

Sunscreen: Should it Stay or Should it Go

I have been pretty good about using sunscreen on my son all-year round if he is going outside. And especially now that the summer heat is here (and he wants to go outside now more than ever!), it's time to find out if that bottle of sunscreen in your medicine cabinet is still good.

There's not always an expiration date on a bottle of sunscreen. If you have a bottle that's not printed with an expiration date, assume it will last for at least three years. The clue to this is the very fact that many sunscreens don't bear expiration dates — the FDA doesn't require it of products that are stable for at least three years and don't have dosage limits.

So, if you are like me and still have a bottle of sunscreen from your honeymoon five years ago, you should probably toss it. (Unless, of course, you are keeping it for sentimental value!)

But here is something I have also heard time and time again from doctors on talk shows...we don't put nearly enough sunscreen on at one sitting. Instead of spreading a thin layer of sunscreen on, we should be coating our skin with it.

Happy Summer!

Image courtesy of www.girlhealth.gov

What a Headache!

Headaches are such a pain...literally! But how can you prevent them?

Researchers believe the tension-type headaches are most likely caused by changes among certain brain chemicals.

Here are some factors that may trigger these brain chemical changes:

• stress
• depression
• anxiety
• lack of sleep or changes in sleep routine
• skipping meals
• poor posture
• working in an awkward postion or holding one position for a long time
• lack of exercise
• hormonal changes
• overuse of headache medication

(or as I like to say...life!) So, what can we do about these triggers?

Here are some ways to prevent tension headaches:

• avoid excess caffeine
• eat healthy foods; don't skip meals, especially breakfast
• stay physically active; even just taking a walk could help the way you feel
• follow a regular sleep schedule
• reduce stress by planning ahead and organizing your day
• learn a relaxation technique (ex. deep breathing)
• improve your posture

And if all else fails, a couple glasses of wine (or your favorite beverage) may be the cure. But, then again, that may give you another type of headache!!!

Information provided by Mayo Clinic Health Solutions

Butter: Should it Stay or Should it Go?

Butter never goes bad as long as you keep it in the fridge, right? Actually, it is a common misconception that butter doesn't expire for more than a year. It actually lasts one to three months in your refrigerator. Butter does start to turn after a month or two in the fridge. It might look and smell OK, but its composition is deteriorating and it's turning rancid. If you are on the fence and it's been there more than two months, toss it. However, butter will last six to nine months in your freezer.

Stay tuned for more Should it Stay or Should it Go ideas very soon!

Mascara: Should It Stay or Should it Go?

We all go through it..You smell, shake, and poke a cosmetic or kitchen product, wondering if it's still safe to use. You can't remember when you bought it, but it smells, looks, and feels perfectly fine. Is this one of those products you are supposed to throw out after a few months, or does it have a long lifespan??? Who knows if there isn't an expiration date on it.

After some real digging for information, MSNBC.com came to find hard-and-fast rules of the shelf lives of five common household items. So here is the first one...

Mascara

A lot of people think that a tube of mascara that has been opened can be safely used until it dries up or becomes clumpy. This is so not true. Regardless of how it looks or feels, the older mascara gets, the more likely germs are growing in it. And every time you pull out and put back the wand, you're pushing germy air right into the tube.

Conclusion: Throw it out after three months, every time.

Stay tuned for more Should it Stay or Should it Go features...

Protect Your Bones in May

Sure, you think osteoporosis is only for old people, and that may be partially true. But remember, the things you do today impact what happens tomorrow. And just so you know, women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.

May is National Osteoporosis Prevention Month and here are some things you can do to maintain healthy, strong bones (these are also great tips to share with parents and grandparents):

• get your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D (recommendations below)
• engage in regular weight-bearing exercise (baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, weight-lifting, aerobics, dancing, and walking)
• avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
• talk to your doctor about bone health
• have a bone density test taken and take medication when appropriate

Daily Calcium Recommendations
Age - Calcium mg/day
1-3 500
4-8 800
9-18 1,300
19-50 1,000
51-up 1,200

Click here for more information on bone health.

How to Look Thinner WITHOUT Working Out

Here is the situation...I am going on a little getaway this week, I want to look like her(above) when I am at the pool, and haven't had a chance to work out at tall (you know, it's called having kids!). Luckily, I found a couple of the tips from eHow on how you can look taller and thinner without stepping foot in a gym.

First off, Think about color. Pick an outfit that is one color. Pair a contrasting colored or textured blazer, cardigan, or overshirt with an outfit of one color. Pick a pantyhose color that will match your skirt or pants and your shoe color. Remember that black slims.

Secondly, elongate yourself. If you're short, don't wear big belts, they cut you in half. Choose longer skirts that are not as wide as they are long. Wear long necklaces and pendants. Pick a shoe that has a heel of an inch or better. Wear V-neck shirts. They will make your neck look longer. Always stand up straight and with confidence.

For more ideas on how to look like a taller and slimmer you, check out How to Look Taller and Slimmer at eHow.com.

1 Pack = 1 Vaccine

Have you ever wanted to make a contribution to a charity but had a tough time finding the right one? If you are a parent, there is an easy way to make a charitable donation without even really knowing it.

Right now, you will find a sticker on packages of Pampers diapers that says "1 pack=1 vaccine." Basically, this means that when you buy a package of diapers with this sticker, Pampers will donate the cost of one vaccine to help UNICEF protect a woman and her newborns against tetanus. I know this may come as a shock, but there are still countries who do not have this vaccine made available to them.

This program is being run until June 30, 2008, so if you are like me and going to buy Pampers diapers anyway, keep buying them. Or perhaps you are a Huggies fan...try to buy a Pampers pack instead at least until these stickers are no longer available.

If you have a baby shower to attend in the next few months, this is a great opportunity to shock up your pregnant friends with diapers they will always need and a legacy of knowing they made a difference.

So what are you waiting for? Make a difference in another family's life by buying diapers that you are already going to buy...how hard is that?

(Also on the Pampers website, you can find Donate Diapers for Twice the Good — Through Pampers Gift Certificates. With this program, you can donate diapers to a needy family in America. And of course, with that purchase of diapers you are also providing 1 vaccine per package you buy. )