Currently loving: Shade Sunscreen

I am no amateur sun screener. I coat my kids twice at home then reapply constantly at the beach.  I never use aerosols and always make sure whatever cream I use is a “block” with a good percentage of titanium. I have good reason. Ross has already had a big chunk of his lip cut out with a diagnosis of squamous carcinoma.

In recent years I’ve gone away from basic drugstore brands and use whatever won’t let the kids end up with sunburns. We use a popular, very good brand of block that comes in a stick but my kids tend to rub it off quickly and it stains everything (staining a $100 bikini is not a good thing).  A friend made me a jar of homemade salve, but it just doesn’t stay on longer than 30 minutes with even light water play.  California Baby has been my favorite for a couple years because of its staying power and all natural ingredients, until now. 

I’m currently loving: Shade.  I have to admit, I wasn’t a complete believer in it until we tested it in the harsh Australian sun. Once it’s on, it stays on. It’s lasted through rubbing, swimming, surfing, and I don’t find the need to reapply.  At all.  (In fact, it won’t come off unless we use olive oil to rub it off, so the girls have really well moisturized skin right now.) It comes in beige and white. Once on, the beige doesn’t rub off onto our clothing, but Ross and I feel like the white works better for us. 

I know there was a lot of research put into using ingredients safe enough for our bodies and for the ocean. It is gentle enough for babies yet effective for active kids. 

You can buy it online at https://www.shadesunscreen.com .  You can order a sample for $1.75, but if you are near me, just ask me for some.  It will be a staple in my purse or car at all times.  It’s $28 for a bottle that will last you a long time (which is really cheap considering you are SAVING YOUR CHILD FROM SKIN CANCER).

If you try it and don’t like it I will buy it from you. (You know how I like to stock up on things I really like.) It’s that good.

Disclosure: I received this bottle of sunscreen as a gift from the owner of the company for personal use, NOT for compensation or review. It was completely my idea to write this post because I really do love this sunscreen. 

Tea Tree Obsessed

A few days ago we went to Byron Bay and then drove a little further to Lennox to Lake Ainsworth.

Lake Ainsworth is a big fresh water lake (adjacent to the the ocean) that surrounded by tea trees. The tannins from the tea trees leach into the lake, making the water a reddish murky color with a film of oil on the top. I couldn’t smell anything, but after swimming in the water, my hair felt oh so soft. The girls kept saying how calm they felt – I’m sure soaking in the water had therapeutic benefits. I want to go back.

 

 

Kids, teasing, and a pink sweater dress

Here are my babies on school picture day. This picture melts my heart. See the cat sweater dress Sebbie is wearing? It’s her favorite. But when she wore it to school last week, she got teased for wearing “pajamas”.

So on the morning of class picture day, she hemmed and hawed about wearing that very pink dress again. (In her opinion, it’s her “dressiest” dress.)

Well, she bravely wore it to school knowing she was taking a chance at being teased again. She even put a (very young-ish IMO) princess pin in her hair just because it was fancy. My husband said he hopes she never outgrows her “Sebbie-style”.

I’m so proud of her.

Background info: This is the first FULL year I am not teaching at school. It is the first full year Sebbie has to eat all of her meals in the cafeteria (instead of my classroom) and blend in with the population at every recess. When I was working, no kid dared to do anything to her. I’m scary strict – that’s why.

Ellie loves Elmo

If you don’t like this video of Taye Diggs and Elmo, something is wrong with you. Either that or something is wrong with me.

Elmo and Taye Diggs Go for a Drive …

Here’s another oldie but goodie:

A Song About Elmo

I AM a mom, and I DO know

What a touching article and breathtaking photo heading it. I love my children that way too.

http://www.popsugar.com/moms/Motherhood-Strongest-Bond-36728831

Compulsive Collector or Avid Shopper?

If my daughter had access to her own bank roll, she would become a compulsive collector with hoarding tendencies. There would be no end to her purchasing of — to complete her collection. Where does she get this addiction to shopping and this need to have every color in the set?

Oh yeah, haha!

Another good Pinterest inspo

I love this idea. On any given day, my kids will run through at least 5 cups EACH, filling and drinking water. I’m happy we have a dishwasher, but it just feels wasteful all around – wasteful with water, with dish washing, with time. Pinterest inspiration from Bee In Our Bonnet:

I love hers because it’s so professional. Here is my lazy version: