Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Toes!



Monday, September 19, 2011

Diva Cup for me

So I started the project to green my period about 7 months ago.  I had a two part reason for it. 

One, I was sick of the accidents.  I'm 31 years old and I'm still having accidents like a 15 year old.  I mean seriously, it's embarrassing.

Two, I was a bit jealous of Audrey's cloth diapers.  I was sitting on a plastic pad five days a month and she was on comfy on soft cotton.  Surely I can get that comfy feeling too.

My first step was the Instead Cup.  I could buy it at the store and go.  I liked it okay.  You can read my full review here.

My next step was to bite the bullet and buy a Diva Cup.  I say bite the bullet because I had to go online and order it.  I decided to order from Luna pads so that I can support a small business and to get a package deal of a Diva Cup and a couple of Luna pantyliners.  I wanted to slowly wade into the land of mama cloth (cloth pads). 

I have been using the Diva Cup for about 5 months now.  I love it!  When I first opened the package, I thought wow this is so small!  Then I tried to use it and then I was like wow this thing is huge!  In truth with a bit of practice, I've mastered the Diva Cup.  It did take a bit of practice but after one cycle I would say I had it down; unlike with the Instead cup where I have yet to get it in the right place.  I will say if you want to have sex during Aunt Flow's visit, you'll want to go with an Instead since you can insert it up high.  The Diva Cup sits in the vagina so there is no room for other visitors unless you remove it.  My only real complaint about the Diva cup is that it doesn't have an easy way for me to tell when I have rotated it.  I would love if it had just a couple of numbs so that I can tell if I have rotated or not.  For the most part, I can tell but still it would be nice.

The only accidents I've had since my switch are when I don't listen to my body.  It sounds strange but I can tell when I need to empty my cup.  On my heavy day, I have to empty three times.  I actually only use the Diva Cup for the first three days of my cycle.  With the Diva cup, my day 4 is next to nothing so I just use a cloth pad.  My cramps are gone.  I've cut a day off my period from 5 to 4. 

For me there has been no down side to switching.  I can't image going back to plastic pads.  I also recently got a stash of mama cloth from a WAHM so I'm set with my green period.  I'm so glad I switched.  I can't believe it took me so long to go green.

I have not been paid for this review.  The folks at Diva Cup, Luna Pads, and Instead Cup have no clue who I am.  I'm going green and sharing. 

Hip, Hair, Hooray!

So my hip is better!  I'm stopping the ibuprofen as of today.  Not sure about running yet.  I want to see how I do without any medicine before I stop jogging again.  I guess I need to start slow.  We'll see.

I'm loving this haircut!  I just use a little water and a bit of curl creme and off I go.  It's so easy!  Why didn't I do this forever and a day ago.  I must admit I still miss the sleek look of my straighten hair but the wash and go ease of this hairstyle is hard to beat.  With a 21 month old, the whole bed head look is tops.

I had a wonderful first LLL meeting on Thursday.  I had two leaders and four moms.  I did the ABC's of breastfeeding and we had really good discussion.  Even carried the meeting on to the local coffee shop and closed them down.  It was nice to have a girl's night out.  I did miss having my Audrey but it did me a world of good to go and hang with girls.  I can't wait for my meeting next month. 

Sunday, September 11, 2011

2 weeks of natural hair

So I finally got my haircut on Friday!
Before:



This is my before shot.  My hair is fine and thin.  There is a lot of natural wave but after years and years of the flat iron it tends to just be lifeless.  So no hair products or blow dryer, just plain hair









After:



I lost a few inches.  Gone is my traditional angled bob.  I love the new length and it has been easier to bring the curl out.  Stylist put Kendra Curl Creme or something like that on it. 






We'll see what the boss thinks tomorrow.  If it is professional enough for the library.  I really do like it but I'm struggling to get the curl back into the back of my head.  The front curls up very easily.  The stylist did say it might take my hair a bit to get the curl memory back after so many years of straightening.  So far so good.  I'm bringing curly back.

More Tracfone love

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

Can you tell I love Tracfone.  My mom and dad only use Tracfone.  Tracfone just makes it so easy to stay on budget and get great service.  I actually have called the customer service line and the representatives are always helpful.  While I think the service and phones are easy to use for my parents, the customer service line is a life-saver. 

With no contracts, no credit checks, no activation charges or cancelation fees, great nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity, Tracfone is great way to connect to people and stay connected.  With their excellent customer service, Tracfone is an every better deal.  Here is what Real TracFone customers have to say.

You can find brand name phones from leading manufacturers like Motorola, Kyocera, LG, Nokia and Samsung with So many features You can go super high tech and get a Bluetooth®-enabled "Smart" phones or go with a super budget-friendly simple "Candy Bar" phones.  With phones as low as $10.00, you can afford to get everyone in the house their own phone.

While you might think that Tracfone is only pay-as-you go, they do offer several monthly plans and options. So you can hit up the local store and buy a card to add minutes; you can go online to add minutes; you can add directly from your phone; or go old-school with a monthly plan that gets added directly.  Tracfone also offers cool packages that gives  1 year service cards, double minutes for the life of your TracFone, and 800 minutes, for only $119.00.  Lots of the phones now come with “Double minutes for the life of your phone”  or you can buy it separately for only $19.99.  My mom loves watching her 200 minute card become 400 minutes on her "Double minutes for life phone."  So she is getting 400 minutes for like $30.00! 

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I'm always a fan of things that keep people on budget.  With today's move fast world, a cell-phone is a must.  Tracfone give everyone a way to have a sleek phone without the hassle contracts and/or budget busting monthly bills.

My mom has the LG420 phone.  Honestly, it's more phone than she needs but she loves it.  See why:

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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Bursitis of the hip

So the official diagnose is bursitis of the hip.  Doc gave it a more specific name but I didn't catch it enough to repeat it.  I know it's the top bursa not the lower bursa (whatever that means).

I really like my doctor.  She is super down to earth.  She's a breastfeeding mom and a runner so she totally gets me.  Never had a doctor that got me before.  She gave me three options: 1. 800 mg ibuprofen/3x daily + rest (2 weeks) 2. Oral steroids 3. Steroid shot in the hip with a huge needle.  After much discussion with doc, I went with option 1.  I'm not a take meds kinda girl but huge needles and steroids sound like overkill.  Hopefully I won't have to turn to the other options in two weeks time.

The problem with having a diagnose is access to the internet.  I've been searching non-stop for the last few hours and it's freaking me out!  So many people talking about pain for years!  Pain even after treatment and surgery.  Martha needs to lay off the internet searching and just rest.  So the question is this does bouncing a toddler count as high-impact exercise?  I was rocking Audrey to sleep, which requires bouncing her in a mei-tai, and I had a bit of shooting pain in my hip.  I guess I should have asked doc.  Oh well, maybe I'll call doc and ask. 

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Finally vacation

I'm finally on vacation.  My first in three years.  My plans so far are a bust.  Thankfully I don't mind.  Instead of going to the zoo with my Audrey, we are enjoying the rain from Tropical Storm Lee.  We have been needing the rain!

My 30-day hair challenge is going okay.  I'm struggling with frizz and how to fix my hair.  I am really hoping for a trip to the hairdresser soon.  I've gotten lots of recommendations on products and am still trying to decide what to buy.  So many different things to try!

On Tuesday I will be going to the doctor to see about my hip.  My right hip has clicked since a couple of days after Audrey's birth but never in pain.  After my first attempt to go from couch-to-5K, I think I finally super injured whatever had started before.  I remember being in pain for two weeks but it got better so I was just dealing.  The clicking is worse and now painful.  The real issue is the pain at just about all times.  Not fun when you are trying to deal with a toddler.  Not sure what I am hoping hear other than rest it.  I'm thinking the worst news would be surgery or never run again.  I want to run again.  We'll see and I'll report.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

30 Days to love my natural hair

So I hate curly/wavy hair.  Yeah I said it.  Yeah I know I have wavy hair.  Yeah I know my biracial child has curl beyond curl.  Yes, that is the reason I'm going natural.

I don't know why but I have always wanted straight hair.  To me wavy and curl is not professional and doesn't belong in the office.  That is a Martha issue.  I don't want it to ever be an Audrey issue.  So I'm going natural.  I'm going to love my hair.  I'm going to put up the flat iron and get over myself. 

So today was day 1, I put mousse in my hair and scrunched.  Actually came out pretty good, I was nervous about wearing it to work.  I wanted to flat iron it so badly!  I took a deep breath and out I went.  The boss actually liked it.  I did put a hair barrette in but by the end of the day I was almost digging it.

So what is the point?  Honestly, I hope to learn to love me as I am, waves and all.  I really don't ever want Audrey to look in the mirror and hate her reflection.  How can I expect that from her if I don't feel that way?  Why my hair is an issue to me I really don't know but I'm locking away flat iron and maybe even the blow dryer.  I am already discovering that I need a haircut.  I think I'll get more bounce with a little less length and a few more layers.  I'm thinking I might need different hair products too.  I'm going to do it.  I'm going to go natural and love it, right?