Checklist: Prepare Your Home For an Elderly Parent

Sandwich Generation

It’s a fact, as we get older so do our parents, and along with our aging parents can come some problems. I recently did a book review on siblings and caring for aging parents. More and more Baby Boomers are facing tough choices with our aging parents regarding their living arrangements.  Some adult children choose to send our parent(s) to a nursing home or assisted living facility where they’ll get around the clock care; others decide to hire help that can come to the parents’ home; while still others may decide to bring the parent to live with them.

My independent grandmother lived alone in senior citizen housing until she was 95.  As her conservator, I arranged for her to have certain medical alert systems in place.  For example, a service checked in on her every day by phone.  My grandmother also  had a medical alert button that she wore around her neck in the event she fell.

Alternatively, my late mother-in-law lived for many years with my husband’s sister.  As mom grew older, adaptations were made in the house so that she could remain ambulatory.

If you’re considering tucking your parent under your own roof, and that parent is disabled, there’s many things you need to do to prepare your home for their safety.  This isn’t an exhaustive list, but rather a starting point in helping you figure out just what you need to do in order to make your home ready.

With a clipboard in hand, take a tour of your house from the front entrance to all interior spaces and take notes.

Entrance -
Check to see if the walkway is even for ease of walking, that the steps are not too steep, and that the handrail is adequate.  Does the door open easily and is the whole area well lit?  If your parent is in a wheelchair, the walkway needs to be wide enough to accommodate it and you may need to install a ramp.

Kitchen -
Take a look at the electrical outlets and make sure there are several within easy reach.  Keep dishes and utensils within easy reach too.  Pull-out shelves in the bottom cabinetry make for easier access.  Buy small appliances that are made for people with arthritis as they are easier to use.  Are all the bigger appliances accessible?  Can your parent reach the microwave and the controls on the oven?  A fire extinguisher is a must for the kitchen, whether your parent is living with you or not.

Bath -
Make sure your water heater is not set too high as this could cause potential scalding. A single lever faucet may be a better choice to allow them control over the water temperature.  You should install grab bars around the toilet area and shower/tub.  Consider adding a seat in the shower as well.  Put a non-stick surface in the shower/tub and make sure the bathroom flooring won’t get slick and slippery when wet.  Everything they need should be within easy reach.  If your parent is in a wheelchair, create knee space under the sink and insulate the hot water pipe to prevent burns.  Have a nightlight that turns on automatically at night.

Bedroom -
You can install grab bars wherever they are needed.  Consider getting a hospital-type bed if they need some help getting to a sitting position.  Make sure there is adequate lighting and no exposed cords or drapery to trip on. Are the bedroom and closet doors easy to open?  Keep the path to the bathroom well lit and clear of stuff at night.

The decision to have your parent move into your house isn’t an easy one.  Take the time to make your home as accommodating by researching medical alert products and as safe as you can before you lay out the welcome mat.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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In Home Spa Treatment: Pamper Yourself

Me Time

Stress isn’t limited strictly to young families and moms with kids at home, believe me.  People have busy lives and are constantly dealing with stress. Whether you’re a WAHM, stay-at-home mom or corporate execute executive, all of us have important tasks to do on a daily basis and we’re always on the move. As long as we get to have a moment to relax and rejuvenate ourselves so we can start each day refreshed, it’s OK.

What can we do to relax and rejuvenate our minds and bodies? Soaking in a tub can do wonders for the mind and body. No time, you might ask?  Well then create the time! After the house is quiet at night, take at least 30-minutes for yourself, because you’re worth it!

There are all kinds of bath products available for you to pamper yourself with and some of my favorites are listed right here on this site that I’ve done product reviews on in the past. If you enjoy taking a bath, there are soaps, bath salts, bath bubbles, sugar scrubs, which come in variety of scents (my personal favorite is Citrus). Soak away your stress with the bath products of your choice – light a candle or two, turn out your bathroom light, have some soft relaxing music in the background, put your head on an orthopedic pillow and you are good to go. Close your eyes and enjoy the wonderful scent, let it take you to wherever you’d like to be. Try not to fall asleep!

Of course if you can afford a day spa on a regular basis, that’s great, but if you’re like me and most busy women I know,the do-it-yourself spa is just as good as the real one. Here are 3 big reasons why:

You can enjoy a luxurious bath from the comfort of your own home. So if you have little kids, there is no need to hire a baby sitter. Tell the kids or spouse it’s “Me Time” and you have all the time you need for your home spa treatment.

It’s affordable!  As much as we’d like, a visit to a day spa is nice, but it’s definitely not cheap.

If you’re not so much a bath person, then turn your shower into what I call “a relaxation staycation”.  A high pressure shower massage head does wonders and acts as a back pain treatment.

No need to make an appointment! You can set up your special bath time whenever you want.

Now that you’re thoroughly rejuvenated, curl up with a neck pain pillow, and read your favorite book or gossip magazine!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Baby Everywhere: A Book and a Bag Review and Giveaway

A Caring Gift

Baby Safety

You could call me “Antique Roadshow.” As a grandmom, I often still find myself carrying around a diaper bag for Slugger, who’s going on two.  A diaper bag is one of those essentials most grandmoms or moms would be lost without.

I received A Book and A Bag from Baby-Everywhere to try out.
When you want to take an excursion out of your home with a small baby, there’s no telling what you might need. A good diaper bag can hold everything you might need including baby wipes, diapers, diaper ointment, baby powder, clothing, bottles, food, just about anything else you might possibly need while out and about with your baby.

A Book and a Bag is a wide tote that can be used by moms, grandmoms, nanny, daycare providers or babysitters.  Also an organizer, there’s a place for keys, cell phones, wallet as well as baby’s necessities. It includes a Safe Baby Organizer – a 50-page loose-leaf book (4″x7″), containing expert advice on how to prevent injuries and handle an emergency, should one occur, which fits into an outside pocket – available in English or Spanish. Colored tabs divide the sections.

Since the most important item in a diaper bag is diapers, A Book and A Bag also contains a changing pad! In fact, anything that you need to use on a daily basis can go into this tote.   Since all the “stuff” in your diaper bag can make it really heavy so if you’re going to have to be carrying it for a long distance, it has two sturdy handles that you can easily put over your shoulder.

This tote comes in either marine blue, or fire engine red – colors that even dad or grandpa wouldn’t mind carrying around!

• Recommended by the American Academy of Emergency Medicine

• iParentingMediaAward.com voted the Safe Baby Tote one of the most outstanding safety products of the year

At Baby-Everywhere, you can find diaper bags and grandmother bags that vary from basic, to trendy …

… beautiful, affordably-priced products that can be used anywhere the baby is – at home, in a car, with the babysitter and at grandma’s home.

Baby-Everywhere is offering readers of Moomette’s Magnificents a $5.00 discount promo code at checkout on these bags.

Use Code: 2442

For More Information Visit: Baby Everywhere

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the Baby-Everywhere Information Station. Designed to hang on the refrigerator door, a babysitter has everything –phone numbers, reminders — all in one place, and doesn’t have to run through the house looking for little pieces of paper left by the baby’s mother! Parent Tested and Parent Approved recently voted the Information Station a winning product.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Baby-Everywhere and leave a comment about what you like best about their site and another product you’d like to try.

This contest will run until March 22, 2010 at 11:00 pm. EST

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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@Moomettes

They’re Your Parents, Too! Caring For Aging Parents: Book Review & Giveaway

Sibling Rumble

How Sibilings Can Survive Their Parents’ Aging Without Driving Each Other Crazy

By 2030, there will be a record 71 million Americans aged 65 and older and the majority will need some sort of long-term care, according to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Several years ago I considered myself a member of what was referred to as the “sandwich generation.” Esteemed members are those who are parents of young children, yet are facing the responsibility of being caretakers for their aging parents. 

In my case, I became the caretaker of my elderly grandmother, who lived to be 101.  Yes, I come from a family with very strong genes.  My grandmother, born in 1901,  was the oldest of 9 children, and just about outlived them all.

My grandmother, who never spent a day in the hospital in her life, was quite independent, living alone in a senior citizen apartment until she was 95.  A good life, and natural aging caught up with her, and I had to apply to the probate court for conservatorship. Eventually she was admitted to a convalescent home nearby.

I recently had the opportunity to review an informative book by Francine Russo, “They’re Your Parents, Too! How Siblings Can Survive Their Parents’ Aging Without Driving Each Other Crazy” (Bantam Books, New York)

Francine Russo is a widely recognized journalist known for her alertness to developing trends, especially in her own boomer generation.  For nearly a decade Russo covered the boomer beat for Time magazine.  She brings a rich personal history to her writing as a daughter, sister, wife, widow, mother of two, and stepmother of three.  She has a Ph.D in English and lives in Manhattan.

In the book, Russo draws on her own experiences as well as those of dozens of families, healthcare works and assisted living experts to get to the heart of the matter:  what it costs – financially, physically and emotionally – to become your parents’ caregiver.

My daughter is currently a Marketing Director for an assisted living facility here in Connecticut and deals on a daily basis with the tribulations of adult children making life-altering decisions such as those described by Russo. Always close to her great-grandmother, as a teen she was quite aware of the tremendous pressure I was under.  I think this experience has aided in her success as a Director of the facility.

In the book, Russo addresses:

• Communicating more constructively to escape the “anger/built gridlock”

• How to reach consensus when siblings disagree about their parents needs:  overcoming denial and “distrusting the messanger.”

• How sibilings can be in it “together,” even long-distance, when one is doing almost all of the caregiving.

My brother lives out of state and caught up in his own career.  Although we consulted on what course of treatment was best for my grandmother, the bulk of the  responsibility fell on me –  a parent of two teenagers at the time, who also worked full-time.

Caring for dependent elderly parents or grandparents can be one of the most isolating experiences most people ever have to face. Becoming a carer can sometimes be rewarding, but it’s hardly ever easy. It can be a very lonely life, and friends can start to disappear when you’re not so readily available for evenings out, etc. Even those who stay the course can find it hard to listen to the things you feel the need to talk about, and you’re likely to find their conversation very trivial compared to what you’re dealing with.

The author touches on topics that siblings of aging parents need to know that it’s essential that primary caregivers get some time off. This is absolutely vital, and not likely to be offered unless you make a point of saying that you need it. It’s no reflection on your abilities as a carer, or your love for the person that you’re caring for, but you need to take at least some care of yourself if you’re going to take effective care of anybody else.

Caring for someone can very tiring, both physically and emotionally, so you need to be able to recharge your batteries as often as you can, in order to avoid falling victim to depression yourself.

You have a life, as well, and the right to some enjoyment.

The author further discusses opportunities for reconciliation even when sibiling tensions still simmer after parents die, while reinventing the family and sustaining the family connection into the future.

I highly recommend this book, and suggest that if you’re currently in a position with aging relatives, to read it and circulate it to your family members.  Oftentimes it’s easier to make a subliminal point rather than have a face-to-face confrontation over responsibilities.

I’m going to make certain that my own adult children read it.

ISBN: 978-0-553-80699-1
Pages: 286
MSRP: $26

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the book DO IT OR AGE QUICKLY: 60-Second Practices to Live Better, Stronger, and Longer by personal wellness trainer and martial artist JB Berns.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Share whether you or someone you know will be or has ever experienced the responsibility of caring for aging relatives and how you or they were affected by it.

This contest will run until March 8, 2010 at 11:00 pm.

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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@Moomettes

Valentine’s Day Giveaway at Skin MD Natural

Everything Nice, Naturally

Awhile back I wrote a post about Skin MD Shielding Lotion that I had the opportunity to review.

Skin MD Natural is now hosting a terrific contest in time for Valentine’s Day!

They’ll be giving away a prize basket that’s valued at $100 which contains the following goodies:

• Bottle of Skin MD Natural shielding lotion

• Bottle of Skin MD Natural + SPF 15 shielding lotion

• One pound of See’s dark assorted chocolates

• Pack of Starbucks VIA Ready brew coffee pouches

• Kiss Me coffee mug

• A Cuddly teddy bear

• Lollipop Bouquet

Contest closes February 7, 2010 and will ship in time for Valentine’s Day!

Whether for yourself, or someone you’re sweet about, don’t miss this terrific contest!

To enter, Visit:  Skin MD Natural

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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Baby Bunch-Gifts for Mom and Baby: Giveaway

Practical Bouquets

Say It With Baby Bunch Flowers

As a Baby Boomer, I’ve been to many baby showers in my lifetime.  Just as each pregnancy and baby are unique, so are the showers I’ve attended.

Some baby showers are simple affairs – held at home, with just a few munchies out on the table.  Over the years, showers have become more elaborate, some are brunches and luncheons held at the mom-to-be’s favorite restaurant.

When I put together the baby shower for my daughter when she was expecting ‘Lil Moomette, I held a luncheon, and made all the centerpieces out of baby bottles. You can find the directions on my sidebar.

Recently I had the opportunity to let you know about the Baby Bunch. I wish I had known about this when ‘Lil Moomette was on the way!  It’s not only functional, but would have made a beautiful table centerpiece!

Baby Bunch, which has been featured on Martha Stewart, offers refreshingly different baby gift baskets, presented as bouquets, cupcakes and candy. Because they’re made of baby clothes, the gifts are not only practical, but they’re also beautiful!   The baby clothes are arranged into “baby bouquets”, “crayon boxes”, “lollipops” or “cupcakes.”

The company was started by Bryony and Simon Boxer after the birth of the first son:

“The Baby Bunch combines practicality with presentation,” says Bryony Boxer, founder of The Baby Bunch along with her husband Simon Martin. “We wanted to create a gift that was attractive yet useful and offers everything a baby needs to get the best possible start in life.”

I received the Classic medium Baby Bunch, which was presented in a floral gift box with clear lid.  The presentation is so pretty!  The clothing items are all wrapped tightly, to look like flower buds.  Encircling the clothing are green fabric leaves and rosebuds, which can later be saved in a baby book or as keepsake treasures of the occasion!

Inside each “Baby Bunch” are:

• 2 Onesies

• Hat

• T-shirt

• Bib

• 2 Pair Socks

All of the clothing is soft, 100% cotton, and is sized from 0-6 months, up to 16 lbs.  Organic clothing is offered in sizes 6-12 months.

Spring is just around the corner, and there will be plenty of new babies being born!  You’ll find gifts for Mom or Grandmom, as well as unisex gifts, girl gifts and boy gifts.  There’s Free Shipping (twins)! When you order two large buckets!

Baby Bunch is offering email subscribers of Moomette’s Magnificents a 15% discount on any of their products, excluding the cost of shipping through the end of March, 2010.  Please contact me for the Promo Code which I will send to you after you become an email subscriber.

Follow on Twitter @BabyBunch

For More Information Visit: Baby Bunch

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest*! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of a Medium Classic Baby Bunch, MSRP $59.95

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

This contest will run until February 22, 2010 at 11:00 pm.

*USA ONLY

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Baby Bunch and leave a comment about what you like best about their site and another product you’d like to try.

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

Follow Me on Twitter
@Moomettes

Germguardian UV-C Mini Sanitizer Wand – Review and Giveaway

A Healthy Home

Germguaridan UV-C Mini Sanitzer Wand

Safe and Natural

I have a sign in my house that says “Our Home is Clean Enough to be Happy and Dirty Enough to Be Happy.”

Actually, this saying  may be a bit outdated, since I’ve been married for over 35 years, and times have changed.  There’s so many Super-Bugs and diseases around now that we hadn’t even heard of in the 1970s, which are antibiotic resistant.

I’ve recently been asked to review the Germguardian UV-C Mini Sanitizer Wand.

The Germguardian is a product that promotes a healthy and natural way to sanitize your home without using harsh chemicals.  It states  the sanitizer wand kills up to 99% of bacteria and viruses, and also fights odors and reduces allergens like mold spores and dust mights.

Science was never my strong subject, but Ultraviolet light is used in hospitals to sanitize surfaces and kill germs.

The sanitizer takes 4 AA batteries.  I inserted the batteries and had a difficult time trying to put the top back on.  I held the button for the recommended 3 seconds, which turned the sanitzer on.

I ran it over my kitchen table and countertops.  I can’t say with any certainty that it actually did anything, because everything looked the same to me.

The product comes with a black drawstring carrying case, which is good for business travelers.

I’ve been reading that many cities and hotels are experiencing infestations of bed bugs – so this might be a good idea for travelers to take with them and use on pillows and bedding after a visual inspection of the room.

The sanitizer is chemical-free, and recommended uses include:

• toilets
• phones
• computers
• sinks
• countertops
• bedding
• pillows
• shoes

Dimensions: 10.3″ L x 1.5″ w x 1.6″ h

MSRP: $79.99

Instruction Book Included

For More Information Visit: Germguardian

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of a Germguardian UV-C Mini Sanitzer Wand.

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Visit Germguardian and leave a comment about what you like best about their site and another product you’d like to try.

This contest will run until February 17, 2010 at 11:00 pm.

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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@Moomettes

Look Your Best At the Beach – Are You Bikini Ready?

Because Your Worth It

We wait all year for vacation season and summer. Great weather, lots of sunshine, shorts, tank tops, bathing suits, and for those brave souls out there, bikinis. No matter which summer attire suits your fancy, you’ll definitely want to look your best. Here’s how to put it all together and be bikini ready for that upcoming cruise.

Last year about this time, my youngest daughter was in her senior year at college and planning a cruise to the Caribbean during Spring Break.  I actually did a post here of all the text messages I received from the “Little Mermaid” and you could say I traveled ‘vicariously.’

Whether your planning a spring break road trip, honeymoon or family trip to Disney, you’ll no doubt want to shop for some new funky new beach wear for poolside, walks around the promenade deck, or on those tropical island beaches. Your choice of a new bathing suit is no longer limited to the basic one-piece or bikini. There’s a huge variety of new styles, one of which will be perfect for you. I recently bought a tankini, to try to hide a flabby stomach. If the tops of your legs aren’t your best feature, go for a mini swim skirt to go with your bikini. To get rid of any unsightly body hair, try using hair removal wax strips.

Once you’ve found the perfect suit, you’ll also want to look for some accessories to accentuate it. There are many different types of swimwear cover-ups. A cover-up is a good way to protect your skin from over-exposure to the sun. Just about anything goes when it comes to cover-ups. From an over-sized t-shirt to a lacy beach robe, you’re sure to find one that fits your taste and goes well with your suit. One very popular type of cover up, for those just wanting to cover the bottom half of the body, is a sarong.  It so reminds me of  “South Pacific!”

Hats are a pretty yet practical accessory. Wearing a hat helps to protect your face, neck and shoulders from the damaging rays of the sun. You’ve spent all that time with facials and facial hair removal, so it’s a bonus if your hat just happens to perfectly coordinate with your cover-up and suit. Even though in reality your hat will shade your eyes, sunglasses are another absolute necessity. Fashionably dark is better, and be sure they have a good level of UV blocking for maximum eye protection.

The importance of shielding yourself from the sun makes sunscreen one of your most important accessories. Apply liberally and thoroughly and re-apply periodically throughout the day.

Many beach lovers like to get a head start on their tanning by visiting a tanning studio before heading to the beach. A better idea might be to use one of the self-tanning products that are available on the market today. A base tan helps avoid painful sunburn and because you already look tanned, you’ll probably be more willing to use a more protective sunscreen and avoid getting too much sun.

Before you hit the beach, you’ll want to give your feet a little extra attention too. After all, they’ve been hidden away and maybe even neglected for months. If you spring for a pedicure your feet will be very grateful and look great too. At the minimum, massage some cooling foot lotion into your heels and cuticles, and don’t forget hair removal to get rid of any pesky hair on your tootsies!  This will go a long way toward making your feet ready for that new shade of nail polish.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your towel and beach bag, put on those cute sandals along with that pretty cover-up over your bikini and head out to the beach looking fab-u-lous, dahling!

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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How To Sew A Button – Book Review and Giveaway

Back to Basics

Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew

When I was in Middle School I had to take a class called “Home Economics.”  Only it wasn’t called Middle School back then, it was called Junior High, for grades 7-9.

In Home Economics, we learned basic cooking skills such as food safety and baking.  We also learned basic sewing and ironing skills.  We had to find a pattern and learned how to shop for the right of fabric and sewing notions.   I think that Home Ec should still be a required subject in schools.

Although I really tried to pass on such skills to my grown daughters when they were growing up, they were much more interested in playing sports.  Of course, before Title IX came on-board, competitive sports weren’t available to girls my age.

The girls were in for a rude awakening when they went off to college and set up housekeeping in dorms and apartments!  They were on the phone with ‘Mom’ all the time asking questions!

Recently I had the opportunity to review a wonderful new book by Erin Bried, a Senior Staff Writer at Self magazine,  called ‘How To Sew A Button:  And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew.”

In her book, Bried, who was featured on the “Today Show”,  shares over 100 essential ‘must-know’ and ‘how-to’ skills that apply to both women and men.  In preparation for her book, Bried interviewed over 20 grandmothers from across the country.  My own mom and grandmother (who lived to be 101) grew up during the Great Depression, and because of that experience, learned to make do with what they had, as well as fix, repair and become creative.  In fact, I inherited a cookie can full of thousands of buttons that my mom had cut off from garments over the years!

Some of my favorite chapters included:

• Omit Oopsies – How to Remove Most Stains

This is important, as any college student, mom, homeowner or apartment dweller knows.  Want to know how to remove red wine, blood, lipstick or mud?  It’s in here!  If you’re a college student or apartment dweller who placed a deposit – these tips might help you get your deposit back when you move~

• Get Stoked – How to Build a Fire

My charming son-in-law is from Vermont.  His family likes to have a bonfire or camp fire in a backyard pit.  On one of my first visits up there, all the gals knew how to build, start and stoke the fire to keep it burning.  I remember somebody saying that if you didn’t know how to build a fire up there, you wouldn’t survive!

• Use Your Imagination – How to Make Art Out of Pressed Flowers

Years ago we had a boat that we kept docked at a marina on the Connecticut River.  In the fields nearby were tons of wild flowers.  Many of my friends were getting married, so I used to pick the flowers and then dry and press them.  I’d make a framed wall-hanging out of their wedding invitation.  You’ll find plenty of tips in this chapter, as there’s definitely a trick to getting it to come out right!

How to Sew A Button is not only educational, it’s retro-chic and a wonderful read!

If you know a bride-to-be or a student going off to college, this book would make a special gift!

A Ballantine Trade Paperback Original

Published: December 15, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-345-51875-0

MSP: $15.00

For More Information Visit: How To Sew A Button

Moomette’s Magnificents  is hosting a Giveaway Contest! For a chance to win, there will be one (1) winner of the book “How To Sew A Button”

Please include a way of contacting you. Should you be the contest winner, this information may be shared with the contest sponsor in order to send your prize.

Main Rule:   (remember if this rule is not followed then no others will count)
a) Sign up for my free Newsletter Updates to my blog through my e-mail Feedblitz link (on the top of my right column or let me know if you already are, in a separate comment) AND

b) Let me know a favorite tip you learned from your mom, grandmom or favorite elder.

This contest will run until February 11, 2010 at 11:00 pm.

For Additional Entries, check out my Contest Entry Rules.

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

Follow Me on Twitter
@Moomettes

3 Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

Start the New Year Off On the Right Foot

No matter how old you are, you can control your health.  Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is central to good nutrition.  Don’t think that you have to be at the mercy of genetics – take a bit of time to take care of yourself and you’ll experience much better health.  Pregnant women especially should pay attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle while they’re expecting and while they’re nursing.

Here’s a look at a few things you can do to improve your chances of staying healthy and living longer.

Flossing
We don’t have to assume we’re going to lose our teeth as we get old anymore.  Simply flossing on a regular basis, having a good affordable dental plan and keeping a good relationship with your dentist can do a lot to improve your smile, and make you look and feel younger.

Whole Food Nutrition
Almost all of us take a handful of supplements daily, whether from a prescription plan or over the counter.  Keep in mind though that getting your nutrients from foods, as well as a manufactured vitamin, may give you more nutrients in better forms.  Whole food nutrition can work to keep us younger for longer.  Just make sure that your diet is complete and the food you eat is of high quality.

Avoid Smoking
Smoking can be a real problem for people who want to stay younger, longer.  We all know the major side effects of smoking – lung cancer, heart disease, and appearance related problems.  Check to see if your medical plan covers smoking cessation programs. If you want to age healthily, give up smoking by whatever means possible.

photo credit: Quinn Dombrowski

Copyright 2010 Moomette’s Magnificents – All Rights Reserved

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