Recently the good folks at Mamasource and Pure Matters sent me some Kids Sugar-Free Multi-Vitamin Gummies to try.  The grand twins have loved taking them everyday that they are here and of course ask for more.  2 gummies is a daily serving so I dole them our one at a time.  There are six different fruity flavors but no one has professed a preference which kind of surprises me because Matthew can be quite picky about things like that.  Do I notice any difference in them?  No.  They are still a bundle of energy at all times and can still go from adorable to annoying in .64 seconds.

From their website:

• Supports children’s everyday health*
• All-natural, great-tasting gummies
• Sugar-free, gelatin-free and vegan

They also sent me a bottle of their Complete Biotic.  I have self diagnosed myself with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  I often have loose and/or black stool and have frequent problems with anal leakage (TMI enough?).  When I first opened the jar the stench of the pills threw me for a loop.  I was in my car on the way to a show in Anaheim and the smell wouldn’t leave, I had to open the windows to air out the car.  I couldn’t fathom putting something that smelled that bad in to my mouth.  A few days later I remembered the bottle rolling around on the floor of my car and I recalled the embarrassing episode I had suffered in the public restroom of the Anaheim Convention Center and I popped 2 pills in and swallowed before I could think of it for another minute.  I have been taking them for about a week now and while I haven’t noticed a lot of change, I have some other differing circumstances right now that may be affecting it as well (let’s just leave it at that with the TMI).  I will finish the bottle and we’ll see how it goes.

From their website:

Enhance the health of your digestive system and boost immunity with Pure Matters® Complete Biotic. Its clinically researched ingredients have been proven to help your body establish healthy bacteria that help keep your digestive health on track.

• Clinically researched blend of prebiotics and probiotics
• Supports gastrointestinal regularity and the elimination of toxins*
• Promotes a healthy immune system*

I was invited by ivillage.com to attend a screening of this film with a small girl’s night out get together beforehand.  I had heard about the movie ahead of time, but didn’t know much about it.  When I picked up my date for the evening (Hi Alexa!) she informed me of the “star power” that was in the film.  Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Banks and others.  That scares me.  The norm in Hollywood is that the more star power the less staying power. But whatever, I was going to a free movie and hopefully getting a free manicure at the same time.  I’m in!

The manicure left much to be desired and so did the movie.

In defense of the manicurist, she was a student at the beauty school that was providing the services and she had only been a student for 3 weeks.

In defense of the movie………..well, it wasn’t horrible, and I did laugh quite a bit, but I left feeling like it was kind of forced and reminded how much I don’t like certain actors ::cough:: Chris Rock ::cough::.

The title is from the book of the same name, but the story is very loosely based on the book, I would even venture to say it is not based on it at all, but I haven’t read it so I can’t be held to that.

The story follow multiple couples in Atlanta in the time of trying to get pregnant, being pregnant, having small children, and adopting.  I think every scenario was handled well and that all the delicacies were handled well delicately.  The only part I took issue with is the adoption of a child from Ethiopia.  It does not happen that fast.  Nothing happens that fast.  I understand that it is a movie and things have to progress in an unnatural fashion but I also know people believe what they see.  If an Ethiopian adoption is something you are considering I urge you to check out the Fayye Foundation spearheaded by my friends Jamie Lynne Grumet and Julie Garlington.

All in all it is an enjoyable film with some hiccups.

3 Diet Cokes

Related articles

• What To Expect When You’re Expecting Opens May 18th (momsla.com)

The semi finals are here!  We are down to our final four couples and I am pretty happy with who they are.  It is amazing how fast the last 9 weeks have gone.

Tonight each will be dancing twice, because really ABC has no other programming and has to fill an hour and a half. Plus, because we haven’t cried enough this season we get tear jerking back stories from the stars.

William and Cheryl – Tango (Sweet Dreams): The hardest part for a man in a tango is to keep his frame.  Many times you could see Cheryl lift Williams arm back up.  The judge are right they have to be extra critical not only because it is the semi’s but because all of the teams are very well matched and very good.  Of course I think Bruno would give William a 10 even if he just sat down on the dance floor and didn’t move.  A 28 for their first dance is a good start.

Katherine and Mark – Quick Step: If there is one thing I know about a quick step is that it is quick.  Katherine seemed to lag behind Mark ever so slightly once in a while.  Again, extra critical because it is the semis.  Mark takes the blame for that during the judging, but Len of course penalizes her for it.  A first score of 29 is great.

Donald and Peta – Waltz: I would take Donald Driver over William Levy any day in a wet tshirt contest.  He and Peta were like angels floating on clouds tonight.  Absolutely beautiful.  Bruno is 3 for 3 tonight giving each team a 10.  First dance score of 28 keeps them in the running.

Maria and Derek – Argentine Tango: Tiny little nit picky thing, her kicks were not as sharp as I think they could have been, but other than that I think it was a damn good dance.  I see another 10 from Bruno coming up.  Perfect score! I am surprised that this is the first 30 of the night.

Time for the second dances of the evening.

William and Cheryl – Samba: Whoa!  Maria and Derek may have got the first 30 of the night but I am thinking there will be another one real soon.  Even Len was staring at Williams behind the whole time.  Duh 30! Gives them a total for the evening of 58.

Katherine and Mark – Salsa: Meh.  I didn’t like the choreography, the costumes or the song and it didn’t help that she flubbed up the ending.  Without the flub I think it would have been a perfect score.  Can’t tell if it was a mistake made or a medical issue. A score of 27 added to the 29 is a 56 for the night.  They will need votes to keep them.

Donald and Peta – Samba (Mr. Big Stuff):  Nothing to nit pick here.  I don’t know what the hell is wrong with Len.  29 added to their first dance gives them a 57.

Maria and Derek – Jive: Derek Hough could give me mouth to mouth any time.  The only way maria is going home tomorrow is if absolutely no one votes for her.  Len enjoyed the unconventionality of the choreography which is truly surprising.  Of course he didn’t like it enough to make it a perfect night, but 59 is damn close.

Unfortunately I think it will be Katherine going home.  I hate to see any one go they are all so very good.

Related articles

• Dancing With the Stars – Season 14 Episode 8 (adrienneshouse.com)
• Dancing With the Stars Season 14 Week 7 (adrienneshouse.com)
• Dancing WIth the Stars – Season 14 Episode 5 (adrienneshouse.com)

The Children’s Place store invited me to go shopping (with their money)for some summer clothes for the grands last week.

I love The Children’s Place at the Grove in Los Angeles.  It is a HUGE store, but not crammed packed with stuff.  Don’t get me wrong there is a ton of inventory but it is such an open airy store that it doesn’t feel cramped, you can easily walk around, even with a stroller.

My one instruction from Marisa was “get dresses for the girls”, so that is where I headed first.  I loved that they had many that “matched” for Cait and Madilyn, but I ended up getting different ones for them.

I also wanted to get bathing suits for all three since they have outgrown the ones from last year.  I found this cute one for Matthew.

With $100 I was able to get 2 dresses, 2 shirts (for Matthew), 3 bathing suits and 2 pairs of sandals (for the girls).  I think I did pretty darn good!

Thanks Children’s Place.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of homemadedogfood.com for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have never been Suzy Homemaker but I do enjoy cooking.  I was the short order cook for my kids, I asked what each wanted for dinner and I made it for them.  There was no here is your dinner eat it or don’t at my table.

But with my dog that is exactly what it was.  Mostly we gave her dry food, with some wet thrown in for good measure once in a while.  Just before Link passed away last summer the dog food recalls began.  They have increased exponentially over time.

My friend Sue Bob regularly makes Homemade dog food for Goldie.  Even though Sue Bob has been a vegetarian for as long as I have known her, she regularly handles raw chicken for the good of her pup.

There is a cool Easy cooked dog food recipe online that incorporates ground beef, rice, eggs and some supplements.  Whether or not this is a choice I would make if I ever get another dog, I don’t know.  But glad to know I have options.

Have you ever made dog food at home?

And lucky for her because Diet Pepsi will be out enforce this weekend in select cities rewarding women they spot holding a Diet Pepsi.

Now, before everyone that knows me thinks I sold out, know for a fact that I warned the PR rep that contacted me that I personally am a Diet Coke drinker but I happen to know and love some Diet Pepsi devotees (I may even be related to a few).

If you live in one of the cities listed below and happen to be out and about this weekend, put a Diet Pepsi in your hand and you could find yourself becoming the owner of a cool prize pack which includes a Spafinder.com giftcard!  For that kind of prize I may carry around a can or two just in case!

The Diet Pepsi team will be in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Buffalo, San Francisco, Miami, Washington D.C., Kansas City, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Milwaukee and Cleveland.

If you win will you share with me?

P.S. I received no compensation for this post, I did it just to keep you informed, but if the PR rep reading this wanted to send me a gift bag I wouldn’t refuse it.

My friend Jamie Lynne from I Am Not The Babysitter is the mom on this week’s cover of Time Magazine the cutie breastfeeding is her son.

The internet lit up like a damn Christmas tree when the image was released.

Some were lamenting that Aram was too old.  Sherri Shepherd (who I love) went too far when she referred to him being a grown man.  Others (mostly men duh) sexualized it saying things like “first time the kids gets to second base”.

I put out on Twitter and Facebook that Jamie Lynne is a friend and colleague from Moms LA and immediately I was getting DM’s and PM’s left and right.

Jamie Lynne and I differ on our opinions about Attachment Parenting (which if you bother to get past the picture and controversial headline) is what the story is all about.  I am all for weaning asap and I don’t think co-sleeping is a great idea either.  BUT!  I do believe in every parent’s choice to parent as they wish (with the exception of corporal punishment, I don’t think spanking is necessary in any situation).  We have discussed our differences and we both trust each other to do what is right for our families.

I have met Jamie’s boys, they are kind, polite and little gentlemen.  She is obviously doing something right.

Now that we have addressed the inside of the magazine let’s address the outside.

I blame Time.

I blame Time for trying to incite another stupid time wasting “mommy war”. “Are You Mom Enough?” are you kidding me?  Is anyone ever “mommy enough”?  How about we take a vote on who gets to be a mom and who doesn’t.  We’ll start with the author of the article and the editor’s at Time.

And the picture? Really could you get any more controversial than that?  I am sure during the photo shoot there were dozens of pictures taken, they couldn’t find one with the child’s face turned away?

That is where I think the anger that is being voiced should land.  Right in the lap of the Time editors.  Putting up such a controversial photo and idiotic headline takes away from the information in the article.

In exchange for suffering through such a frigid winter (shut up, it is California the temperature was below my age many times this year and that is indeed frigid!), we are having a beautiful spring time.

I decided to pull out the old patio furniture and hose it down in anticipation of spending some nice mornings outside while I am babysitting the grand twins.

Let me tell you this right now, three year olds are not as helpful at cleaning patio furniture as they would like to think they are.

After we were outside for a while I realized just how blonde these babies are and thought I should slather them down with something before they started to actually cook.

Thankfully I just received some new sunscreen from Beyond Coastal.  I grabbed a hold of a slippery kid and started rubbing them up with the lotion.  Now, part of this review is supposed to tell you how the kids felt about it.  They are three, they HATED it.  Duh.  I was interrupting their play time, making them stand still and rubbing my hands all over them.  Yep Hated it pretty much covers it.

Being the mean old grandma that I am I didn’t care how they felt and just kept one hand free of lotion so I could keep a firm grip of a limb with the other.

Afterwards we finished our cleaning (and by cleaning I mean I sprayed down the furniture and the grand twins ran back and forth between loving the hose spray and fearing it).  Then they played in their kiddie pool for almost an hour.  Not only did they not burn, they don’t even look sun kissed!

Info from the Beyond Coastal Website:

One of 209 mineral beach and sport sunscreens to be ranked in the top 11% by the Environmental Working Group

Our healthy, 100% natural sunscreen provides shelter from UVA rays with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. SPF 30+ effectively blocks 97% of UVB rays, which cause sunburn. This ultimate skin care for the whole family is moisturizing and water resistant.

The Natural Kids SPF 30+ is perfect for young ones, with an all-natural mineral block protecting your kids from the sun’s damaging UV rays without harmful chemicals.

Our inactive ingredients aren’t just empty filler. Beyond Coastal’s Natural sunscreens nourish, repair, and hydrate your skin with aloe vera, shea butter, and vitamin C.

I don’t know if I would actually purchase this product because it is out of my price range.  But luckily one of you will be receiving a gift pack filled with amazing Beyond Coastal products!  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I can’t wait for this film to come out!