#SimilacNoGMO Petition Twitter Party

FinalLeahTwitterParty_1

I’m on a mission to protect babies.

Especially the ones who are poor, have limited accesses to resources, or who have parents who just aren’t paying attention. And I can use your help.

Please Sign This Petition

Join me in petitioning Similac to remove genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from their infant formula during an online rally Wednesday, May 22nd from 8-9:30pm EST (5-6:30pm PST). Because when it comes to babies, is it really worth the risk?

And I’m sure Similac will be listening. We are their target audience. Without our support, they cease to be a company.

They. Need. Us.

But I think we can encourage them to do the right thing.

Hashtag: #SimilacNoGMO

When: Wednesday, May 22nd from 8-9:30pm EST

Theme: Educational Rally about GMOs in infant formula and baby food. We want Similac to reformulate and lead the industry in positive change.

Related: Similac is also involved directly marketing to social media moms with their #StrongMomsEmpower campaign. The campaign is about not judging each other and the decisions we make as parents. I thought the hashtag was very ironic because I feel as if WE need to empower ourselves first to ask them to change some things. Right now I don’t think they have demonstrated core values of putting the safety of babies first. Let’s focus on who’s more important in this scenario–the babies. Then we can start talking about how moms treat each other. But to me, one is far more important.

Panelists:

@Bookieboo–Hostess
@Momma_oz–Swag Hag (She’s in charge of giveaways every 3 minutes…)
@GMOInside–panelist
@GreenAmerica–panelist
@Food_Democracy–Panelist
@Lisa_Stokke–Panelist
@UnhealthyTruth–Panelist
@PhdinParenting–Panelist
@JessicaGottlieb–panelist
@LucretiaPruitt–Panelist
@MommyNanibooboo–Panelist
@DietsinReview–Panelist
@FormulaFeeder–Panelist
@HappyMothering–Panelist
@JoLynneS–Panelist
@Realmomreviews–panelist
@Whatsthatsmell–panelist
@YvonneinLA–panelist
@FrostedFingers–panelist
@ScrappinMichele–panelist
@Goddessgarden–panelist
@Purenaturaldiva–panelist
@The818–panelist
@Bigzigfitness–panelist
@HealthyJasmine–panelist
@Gutimom–panelist
@AMusingFoodie–panelist
@EatPlayLove–panelist
@GGirlGGreen–panelist
@thesoftlanding–panelist
@ecokarenlee–panelist
@Greentalk–panelist
@GreenSisterhood–panelist
@thesmartmama–panelist
@YourOrganicLife–panelist

 

Giveaways every 3 minutes….or less

Some very generous brands also supported our efforts and because of them we will be doing a giveaway every 3 minutes.

1.Earth Footwear (3 winners)

2. Nutiva gift baskets (3 winners)

3. Nature’s Path gift baskets (4 winners)

4. iPlay Baby dinnerware multi-pack (4 winners)

5. Bob’s Red Mill whole grain sampler packs (4 winners)

6. Hint Water sampler packs (4 winners)

7. Poppy’s Naturally Clean Aloe Vera hand soaps & cleaning powder (3 winners)

8. Goddess Gardens Organics kids and adults spray sun tan lotion (4 winners)

9. Unhealthy Truth by Robyn O’Brien (3 winners)

10. GMO Inside Kits: “I’m Not a Lab Rat” Tshirt, GMO Inside pins, Labeling stickers saying “May Contain GMOs” (3 winners)

11. Healthier Breakfast & Brunch Recipes eBook by DietsinReview.com (3 winners)

How to Enter:

1. To enter please share this on two social media platforms of your choice. Here is a sample tweet in case you choose to use twitter:

I’m standing w/ @Bookieboo & asking  Similac to remove #GMOs from their infant formula 5/22, http://bit.ly/13BmkSH #SimilacNoGMO

OR

#GMOs in baby formula? Similac we want you to remove them and lead positive industry change, http://bit.ly/13BmkSH #SimilacNoGMO

2. During the event, every tweet you produce will enter you to win a prize. There are no maximum entries.

I have not been compensated by any of the sponsors above to host this online event. I’m doing it to drive petition signatures to ask Similac to remove genetic modified organisms from their baby formula. That’s pretty much it.

Please RSVP by hitting the linky below

Similac Stop Feeding Babies GMOs Petition

SimilacNoGMObaby

Moms CAN make a difference, but sometimes our looks can be deceiving. Some of us may live in yoga pants, while others confess to wearing baby food. We wipe noses, kiss boo boos, and comfort the defenseless.

Another thing that is true of us is we protect our little ones….even if they aren’t our own. But most of all, we are powerful.

And I’m going to prove it to you.

Sign This Petition

Last week Abbott Labratories, the makers of Similac Infant Formula, had a shareholders meeting and voted down removing GMOs from their infant formula.

And thus abandoning babies.

*jaw drops to ground*

I sat here completely stunned because not only does Similac Infant Formula contain genetically modified ingredients, which hasn’t been proven safe by long-term independent testing (Yes, independent as in they have nothing to gain), it’s also labeled OR BANNED in about 60 other countries, including Russia, China, all of Europe, India and Saudi Arabia. Those countries have made labeling and removing GMOs from their food supply a priority.

I wonder why.

Here’s the real issue. When it comes to babies, is it worth the risk?

I know advocates of biotechnology are going to say that GMOs are the most tested food in history…they are regulated by the FDA…they have been deemed safe by our own governmental agencies…no one has died of a GMO…blah blah blah…

Sure, because we’ve never gotten it wrong before, right?

Here’s my point. Is it REALLY worth the risk when we are talking about babies?

The vast majority of industrialized nations have answered that question unanimously:  NO

In fact, if you go to Europe where only 5% of the food supply is genetically modified compared with America’s whopping 85%, you will find that there are lots of studies being done over there that are tying GMOs to diseases like cancer, obesity, allergies…and the list goes on and on.

Let’s also consider some basic facts that I got from Healthychild.org. Since the mid 90′s, which is about the same time that GMOs were introduced into the food supply, some very dramatic things have happened to the health of children.

  • 400% increase in food allergies
  • 300% increase in asthma
  • 400% increase ADHD
  • and 1,500% increase in Autism

And as a mother, I find that disturbing. Because even if there was a CHANCE that GMOs are dangerous, why are we putting them in baby formula? Babies are more susceptible to chemicals than adults.

Let’s leave the defenseless alone, mkay?

Here’s what I think. I think corporations CAN make good decisions. I want to feel safe about what I feed my kids. Don’t we all? I just think in this instance, Similac shareholders may have made an error in judgement. And I’m asking them to rectify it.

I’m asking Similac Infant Formula to lead this industry in a very positive way. I want them to remove GMOs from all their formulas and lead the industry so others do the same.

Because when it comes to babies…it’s not worth the risk.

Sign This Petition

You can help by visiting my petition and sharing it with your friends using #similacnogmo.

Let’s change this. We can. And we will.

For more information on the impacts of GMOs on the health of our children visit these organizations:

GMOInside.org

HealthyChild.org

 

Apply to Be Stonyfield Blogger Ambassador through #WakeUpWithStonyfield Campaign

Disclaimer: Bookieboo LLC is being compensated to host a blogger search for Stonyfield. As a network, we do NOT work with food companies that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the consumable part of the product. So you can rest assured that this client has met our standards. Also please note any time you Tweet, Instagram, or Facebook for this client, you will need to include #ad inside the content to be compliant with the FTC. Thank you!
 Wake up with Stonyfield Mamavation

Do you like organic Greek yogurt? I have to tell you it’s very difficult to find organic Greek yogurt (which is my favorite), but Stonyfield has got you covered. As the largest producer of organic yogurt and a leader in the dairy industry, they are celebrating 30 years in business. And today, they are in grocery stores all across the nation including Walmart, supplying the masses with affordable organic food. We are proud to call them a client and help them in their search for a blogger Ambassador. In just two short months, they are selecting a Blogger Ambassador to represent them online for three months from participation in the “Wake Up with Stonyfield” campaign  (link live May 1st) celebrating 30 years of waking up with fans and breakfast eaters.

A Celebration of Breakfast– #WakeUpWithStonyfield

Stonyfield is celebrating 30 years of waking up with fans and breakfast eaters and inviting everyone to #WakeupwithStonyfield this spring. They are inspiring fans to make mornings social by sharing photos and engaging in a conversation about ways we all wake up living a healthy, organic lifestyle. Everyday for 60 days, from May 1st to June 30th, Stonyfield will post a wake-up call to action online and invite fans to participate by sharing photos and tagging them with #WakeupwithStonyfield. Each day will have a different theme and fans are encouraged to use that theme to create pictures. User submitted photos will stream online and be shared on Stonyfield’s website, Facebook Fan page, Twitter and Pinterest platforms. To stay on top of each day’s theme and join in on the fun, fans can sign up for morning emails on Stonyfield.com/wakeup (link live May 1st) and also receive coupons and special offers available only through email. Stonyfield’s teams may also drop by and hand deliver yogurt Wake up Calls to fans who use the #WakeUpwithStonyfield hashtag.

Stonyfield dog

Want to be an Ambassador? Details on how to apply:

Stonyfield is looking for ONE blogger who will do the following for three months (August-October):

  1. Write two blog posts per month. One will be hosted on their (the bloggers) site and the other will be content created for the Stonyfield website.
  2. Tweet about Stonyfield 2x per week with a specialized hashtag
  3. Update Facebook 1x per week with updates from Stonyfield
  4. Share two pictures of yourself with Stonyfield products 2x per week
  5. Represent Stonyfield at a blogging conference

For all this, Stonyfield will compensate one blogger with $500 per month (totaling $1500) and sponsorship to a blogger conference of their choice (up to $1,000). This total compensation package will be worth $2,500 for three months of work. Not bad.

How to apply:

Step One: Fill out this form here. Each applicant will be sent daily reminder emails from Stonyfield with a theme of the day for 60 days.

Step Two: Share about this opportunity on at least two social media platforms of your choice like Twitter & Facebook using #WakeupwithStonyfield hashtag and #ad to be compliant with the FTC.  We need help spreading the word and appreciate any help you can give us! (The first 100 applicants to complete Steps 1 & 2 of the application process will receive FREE product coupons.)

Step Three: The Virtual Interview–Participate in their #WakeupwithStonyfield campaign for 15 days out of the 60 days by sharing a photo on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest and referencing the theme of the day and #WakeUpWithStonyfield hashtag. Days do not need to be consecutive, but no more than one photo will be accepted as an application per day. This means each blogger will need to tag 15 pictures with #WakeupwithStonyfield to fully apply. (And bloggers are only required to participate in 15 days of the program in order to qualify as an applicant.)

We will be monitoring all applicants that fill out the form to see what kind of creative content they make. Stonyfield will base their decision on  the following:

  1. Creates quality photos and does a good job of storytelling through photos
  2. Has a passion for the Stonyfield mission
  3. Tells clear stories that resonate with their consumers through their social media platforms
  4. Shows excitement for the Wake Up with Stonyfield Campaign and 30 year anniversary

Decisions will be made and announced around July 17th. If you have any questions or just want to communicate your excitement, please comment below.
Stonyfield Boy

How to find Stonyfield:

Online: Stonyfield.com/wakeup (link live May 1st)
Twitter: @Stonyfield
Facebook: Facebook.com/stonyfieldfarm
Instagram: @Stonyfield
Pinterest: Pinterest.com/stonyfield
Spotify: Stonyfield

The Legal Disclaimers: The selected ambassador will represent Stonyfield as an independent contractor and not as an employee or agent of Stonyfield. The work that the Ambassador performs will be deemed “work made for hire” and will be owned by Stonyfield. Unless otherwise approved by Stonyfield, ambassador will be expected to perform duties for three consecutive months beginning August 1st, 2013 and ending October 31st, 2013 and conference must be attended prior to December 31st, 2013. Ambassador will be required to sign an agreement with Stonyfield outlining roles and responsibilities. Ambassador may be paid directly by Stonyfield or through a temporary employment agency, at Stonyfield’s discretion.

Mamavation Mom Twitter Party for Campaign #16

CANCELLED

Our deepest sympathies go out to anyone affected by this tragedy. Obviously, tonight we want to hug our families and a twitter party is not where we can do that, and we are cancelling. I think you would agree this is the right decision. We apologize for the delay in announcing this.

Please keep all those affected in your thoughts.

———————————————————————————————————

It’s Campaign #16 already!

Mamavation has organized boot camp campaigns for over three years now. And every year we just keep getting better and better.  We have so much to celebrate!

Some facts about Mamavation:

1. #Mamavation has been mentioned over 250,000 times on twitter
2. Mamavation community members have lost over 3,200 lbs. together
3. Mamavation Moms last campaign lost 114 lbs.
4. Mamavation turns 4 years old on July 1st this year
5. Mamavation’s mission is to teach moms healthy living slowly and gradually so they can share that with their family

Join us Monday, April 15th from 8-9:30pm EST (5-6:30pm PST) for a twitter party in celebration of all the inspiration Mamavation gives to social media, win some prizes, and learn who the next Mamavation Moms are going to be.

Here are the finalists. Three of them will become the next Mamavation Moms for campaign #16 and that will be announced that night:

1. Lindsay Oussa

2. Erica Zamsky Hunt

3. Amy Reilly

4. Greta Funk

5. Melissa McMurchy

If you were not selected by Mamavation for this round, we encourage you to stick with the community and apply again. Please give us a chance to get to know you better. It’s in your best interest to do so. Several Mamavation Mom Graduates had to apply more than once before finally becoming selected.

Prizes:

1. Nutiva Gift Boxes with popular items (3 winners)

2. Pair of New Balance Shoes (3 winners)

3. Color Garden Natural Dye Sets (4 winners)

 

How to Win:

Half the prizes will be drawn from Rafflecoptor and the other half will be based on live tweeting that night. So make sure to enter by helping us promote and then during the party, every tweet enters you as well.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please make sure to RSVP on the Linky below!

Helping Ugandans Build Clean Drinking Water With Blood:Water Mission

I just finished the Blood:Water 40 Days of Water Challenge. And to put it bluntly, I drank my weight in water. Or at least it felt that way.

The mission of the 40 Days of Water Challenge is to raise enough money during Lent to build clean water resources for communities in Uganda. Uganda is one of those under-served nations that struggles with HIV and clean water resources. Even if you are poor in the United States, chances are you have more than the average person in Uganda.

ugandamap2013

As you can see, with over 34 million people, only 1/3 of them have safe drinking water. And that is where social media come into play. We can share this information with an infinite amount of people for free.

Challenges like this are interesting to me because they remind me of two things:

1. Even though I’m super healthy there are always things I can improve on (like my water intake) and
2. Some people just don’t have what I have and I take things for granted everyday.

During a very difficult month where I was watching my baby suffer with severe Eczema, I was doing the Blood:Water Challenge. And even though I was feeling sorry for my baby, I was reminded that there are children in Uganda that have it worse. AIDS is a very serious medical problem in Uganda that has left children without mothers. Mothers have died from HIV leaving a land of orphans. My baby may be suffering, but we are so fortunate to have medical care and I’m healthy enough to care for him myself. We truly are blessed.

I didn’t intend to donate as much as I did. But I really felt I needed to. So the grand total Mamavation donated to Blood:Water to help them bring clean water resources to communities in Uganda was…..

$500.00

And now it’s your turn. The campaign is over and it’s time to donate the funds you have been saving. I recognize that your sum might not be as large. You don’t even need to tell me how much you donated. BUT I would love to know if you did donate something so I can thank you. The money you will be giving will help families who have far less than us in Uganda and I think that is a win. Especially since we have so much here.

And just to keep your spirits in the right place, you can listen to this song. I have to warn you though, it will stay in your head for MONTHS cause it’s that catchy.

So please consider donating to Blood:Water. And let me know if you do here so I can say thank you to you publicly.

Earth Footwear World of Good Power Pinner Ambassadors #WorldofGood

#worldofgood Pinning application graphicThank you to everyone who applied to the Earth Footwear World of Good Power Pinner Ambassador Campaign. We received over 400 amazing applications and we loved watching you all on Pinterest. Thank you for the overwhelming support. And now we would like to announce the people who will be creating some amazing content for you all to enjoy.

Congratulations to the following bloggers:

1. Diane Jeannot-Nassy of PhilZENdia. (Pinterest Page)
2. Donna Chaffins of Blog by Donna. (Pinterest Page)
3. Ashley Whipple of Cute as a Fox. (Pinterest Page)
4. Mickey Coutts of A Helicopter Mom. (Pinterest Page)
5. Jennifer Medeiros of Makobi Scribe. (Pinterest Page)

We also chose two alternatives and are sending them shoes in case the other five bloggers are not able to participate for some reason.

1. Meagan Paullin of Sunshine and Sippy Cups. (Pinterest Page)
2. Angela Sellari of About A Mom. (Pinterest Page)

Make sure to follow these bloggers on Pinterest from April 1st to April 22nd, Earth Day, to enjoy what they come up with. For now, we will be shipping them their favorite shoes from the Spring season. We are so excited to see our shoes involved in helping us create a World of Good in the Month of April. Take a peak at what shoes the bloggers selected.

Diane chose the Petunia, Bayhaven, Zephyr and Paradise
Donna chose the Caraway, Gale, Eden and Sugarpine
Ashley chose the Breeze, Willow, Sugarpine and Crosswind
Mickey chose the Gale, Camellia Too, Sugarpine and Vista
Jennifer chose the Eden and Sugarpine

The 2013 Spring Earth Footwear Collection. Which is your favorite?

The Eden, available in blue, black, camel & red
The Earth Footwear Eden

The Paradise, available in off white, brown or black
Earth Footwear paradise

The Camellia Too, available in white, black and alpaca
Earth Footwear Camiella too

The Caraway, available in red, black or light tan
Earth Footwear Caraway

The Bonsai Too, available in black & light khaki
Earth Footwear Bonsai Too

The Vista, available in blue, alpaca, spice & off white
Earth Footwear Vista

The Sugarpine, available in red, alpaca & black
Earth Footwear Sugarpine

The Breeze, available in spice, teal, white & pewter
Earth Footwear Breeze

The Zephyr, available in brown, spice & sand
Earth Footwear Zephr

The Crosswind, available in black, white & alpaca
Earth Footwear Crosswind

The Gale, available in alpaca, white, teal & spice
Earth Footwear Gale

The Downeaster, available in black & brown
Earth Footwear Downeaster

The Bayhaven, available in buscuit, black & red
Earth Footwear Bayhaven

The Sundew, available in red, black & brown
Earth Footwear Sundew

The Barranca, available in black & sand
Earth Footwear Barranca

The Willow, available in red, black & alpaca
Earth Footwear Willow

The Petunia, available in brown & black
Earth Footwear Petunia

Disclaimer: Earth Footwear has been a client of Bookieboo LLC for close to four years. And for the purposes of this campaign, we are managing the day to day logistical operations. Each blogger will be compensated with two pairs of shoes and $200 for their time and effort.

Join the Mamavation 5K March 30th

Mamavation Virtual 5K A few weeks ago, we celebrated the conclusion of Mamavation Mom Boot Camp – Campaign 15 by joining together for a virtual 5K.  And some of you missed it and we don’t like for anyone to feel left out, so guess what?  We’re doing it AGAIN!

Do you need to get into shape? Do you need a challenge to motivate yourself? OR do you love running and would like to join in with us? Join the Mamavation Community and run/walk another 5K on March 30th 2013!

How do I join in?

It’s simple really. You don’t need to meet us anywhere. It’s virtual, so we will all be walking together in our own communities, but chatting about it online. All you have to do is go to MAP MY RUN and calculate a 5K in your own neighborhood and run/walk it on March 30th with us.

When is it?

Saturday, March 30th

What time should I start?

It doesn’t really matter, but most of our girls do it in the morning and mid afternoon.

Who should I do it with?

You can do it by yourself, with your family, with some friends, etc. We just want YOU doing it.

Is there a special hashtag?

#Mamavation5k

Is there a prize?

Absolutely. Two participants will win $25 Paypal payout. And two participants will win a pair of New Balance shoes.

How do I enter to win the prize?

First – RSVP to this post by hitting the Linky below

AND THEN during the day of the 5K make sure to tweet a sweaty picture of yourself after it’s over using the hashtag #mamavation5k. We will be monitoring that hashtag and drawing a winner at random that evening.

 

What if I can’t run?

No worries. We also are encouraging walkers. It’s really just an excuse for you to get moving.


PLEASE HELP US PROMOTE BY TWEETING AND FACEBOOKING THIS

I’m running a virtual 5K with #Mamavation on March 30th. Would u like to join me? http://bit.ly/YGWaHR #mamavation5k

So join us on March 30th for another Virtual Mamavation 5K. We also encourage you to join our forums to chat about it there with others.

Make sure to hit the linky below if you are participating and Download the Race Bib to add to your Race Wall :)

 

Mamavation-Virtual5K_2013-Bib

Demand Kraft Drop Yellow #5 & Yellow #6 from Mac & Cheese Online Rally

Kraft Mamavation Party

We don’t mess around with health in Mamavation.

As mothers, we are responsible for feeding our family. But what if some of the major food companies in the United States & Canada were hindering us from being able to provide our children with safe food… but were protecting children in Europe instead? That is exactly what is happening. Let me explain…

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese has two food dyes in it: Yellow 5 & Yellow 6. These dyes are being phased out in England and are already illegal in Norway & Austria because of safety concerns. They are made of toxins known to cause cancer, hyperactivity in children, asthma, skin rashes,  migraines and prevent children from excelling in school.

WHAT you say…it gets better.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese has reformulated in Europe in order to provide a safer product that consumers will purchase over there. Here in the United States & Canada they seem to think we just don’t care. Well, mothers care about their children. And I think they are mistaken. The products in Europe taste NO DIFFERENT than in the United States. In fact, Vani from Foodbabe.com & Lisa from 100daysofrealfood.com did their own little taste test and you can see it here.

Kraft has responded to the petition already stating that “The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority and we take consumer concerns very seriously.” So they say they are listening, huh? I say we make it VERY clear to them that we want these dyes OUT of their products. Period. No more hiding behind the blanket statement of *wha what wha cue peanuts voice here* We abide by all regulatory safety standards set out by the wha wha wha *end peanut voice here*. I think we can do better than that. They changed it in Europe. Why not here? They ALREADY have a formula.

Make sure to sign this petition! And join us on TUESDAY, MARCH 19th from 8-9:30pm EST for an ONLINE rally twitter party to demand that Kraft stop using these dyes in the United States & Canada. Let’s take our food back America. One brand at a time.

Who: Leah Segedie @Bookieboo hostess
Kimberly Grabinski from @Whatsthatsmell Co-hosting

Vani @thefoodbabe guest of honor

Lisa @100daysrealfood guest of honor

When: Tuesday, March 19th from 8-9:30pm

Where: Twitter using #kraftyellow hashtag

There are SO many brands that don’t use toxic food dyes, genetically modified ingredients or other toxic substances that lead to cancer. And I’ve asked a few to donate some products that we can win during the event. I’m continuously updating this list, so keep visiting back to see what you can win with your support of this petition and movement in social media.

Giveaways:

1. Navitas Naturals $75 gift sets (2 winners)

  • raw chocolate pack
  • smoothie pack

2. Set of Natural Dyes for your Kitchen from Colormaker.com (5 winners)

3. Savory Tea Sample packs from Numi Organic Tea (2 winners)

How to Enter (please comment for each entry):

1. Sign this petition! (mandatory)

2. Help us promote! Share this post on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, OR Stumble, etc. (one entry mandatory)
Sample Tweets to use:

I’m asking @Kraftmacncheese to take toxic dyes OUT & u can too! Join me 3/19 for online rally! http://bit.ly/Z7SLF0 #kraftyellow

“Dyes in @Kraftmacncheese cause cancer, hyperactivity, asthma & more? Join online rally 3/19, http://bit.ly/Z7SLF0 #kraftyellow”

3. Tweet during the event! We are randomly selecting winners based on tweets that night! *fingers crossed we trend, so tweet ladies!*

4. And please make sure to hit the linky below to RSVP if you plan on coming.

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid by any brand to host this party. Neither was Vani or Lisa. All of us care deeply about the food supply in the United States. This is why we stand firm asking food companies to be better. And we won’t back down until they do.

 

Chemical Free Lice Spray for Kids DIY

rosemary mamavation

My 7 year old son just brought a pamphlet home that said there was a lice outbreak at his school. Have you had this happen to you before? I wanted to create something myself that would work to protect him. After a bit of research, I turned to rosemary which I already had plenty of in the front yard. I created my own DIY chemical-free lice spray to use on his hair and I wanted to share it with you. All you need is some fresh rosemary, a spray bottle, and water that is almost boiling. That’s it.

Step One: Gather some rosemary. Keep it in sprigs. Don’t chop it up. Get abut 1-2 tablespoons.

Step Two: Boil some water. You will need about 1-2 cups.

Step Three: Before the water starts to boil, pour it out in a big bowl and add the rosemary. Let it sit so the water becomes infused with rosemary oil. It turns the water a bit brown. And you want to do this is a bowl so you don’t pour the hot water directly into the spray bottle. If you do this the chemicals inside the spray bottle could leak into the water.

Step Four: After it cools down, put into spray bottle.

I spray this water concoction in my son’s hair every morning before he goes to school. He was in a classroom that had a lice outbreak and never got it. Also, if you are really worried about lice, don’t bathe your child every day. It’s not the “dirty” children that get it, it’s the clean ones. The lice is attracted to hair with no oil in it, so if they have a bit of residue or oil in their hair they are less likely to get it.

And if you don’t have already, I really recommend growing some rosemary in your backyard. It has lots of medicinal uses. My son is a BRAINIAC and I think it’s also possible that this helps with his memory and concentration at school. He has this very subtle rosemary smell he carries around all day. It’s also helpful for protection from cancer, reduces infection, and protects cells.

We can do little things as mothers everyday to protect our children before they go out into the world. I like to give them independence to make their own mistakes, but I also like to give them pieces of protection along the way.

March #iheartOmron Running Challenge Ambassadors

It’s all in the wrist.

Omron just announced their new Strapless Heart Rate Monitor (HR-500U) in January.  And we’ve already seen it become part of a challenge where bloggers lost 287 Lbs & 223 inches. And today, we are starting a new challenge, but this time it’s all about running intervals.

Omron strapless heartrate monitor

25 bloggers will get to test out the new HR-500U  for three weeks and let us know what they think. Omron has eliminated the strap, so now when it comes to monitoring and staying in THE ZONE, it’s all in the wrist.  Then by connecting the monitor via USB cable and integrating it with Omronfitness.com, they can transfer data and track progress over time and share achievements via email, Facebook and Twitter with friends, family or healthcare professionals from their own personal dashboard. And finally, we are celebrating our campaign with a virtual 5K at the end. Everyone is welcome to join us on this day and run in their own community.

Campaign: March 11th-30th

Virtual 5K: March 30th

We received close to 400 applications for this campaign. It was tough to come up with a final count, but we had to. Congratulations to the #iheartOmron Running Challenge Ambassadors!

1. Greta Funk of Gfunkified as @gfunkified
2. Sarah Maseto of Adventures With My Boys as @Mamasarahjane
3. Rachel Lacy of Following in My Shoes as @Rachel_L
4. Rebecca Gavalda of Formerly Known as Rebecca as @Ruthemomof
5. Heather Montgomery of Running With Sass as @RunningwithSass
6. Lisa Luth of Run Fast Mama as @Runfastmama
7. Catherine Davis of Food Family & Finds as @FoodFamilyFinds
8. April Ockerman of Insights by April as @InsightsbyApril
9. Heather Gannoe of Run Faster, Mommy! as @Runfastermommy
10. Ashley Capps of Freckleberry Finds as @Freckleberrymom
11. Angela Bishop of Nine More Months as @AngMBishop
12. Sarah Spittle of In The Know Mom as @Intheknowmom
13. Erin Kreitz Shirley of Dig Deep Play HARD as @PowerFitness
14. Dagmar Bleasdale of Dagmar’s Home as @DagmarBleasdale
15. Jo-Lynne Shane of Musings of a Housewife as @JoLynnes
16. Jennifer Drummond of Peanut Butter and Peppers as @JenatPBandP
17. Lisa Johnson of Lisa Johnson Fitness as @LisaJohnson
18. Kristy Bernardo of The Wicked Noodle as @thewickednoodle
19. Desiree Peeples of Mommy Reporter as @MommyReporter
20. Sara Brunazzi of Endorphin Mom as @RunBanshee
21. Katherine Barlett of Our Whiskey Lullaby as @KbWhiskey
22. Felice Devine of The Happy Runner as @TheHappyRunner
23. Michele Gonzalez of NYC Running Mama as @NYCRunningMama
24. Monica Olivas of Run Eat Repeat as @RunEatRepeat
25. Kim Bouldin of Gluten-Free is Life as @Gfreeislife

Three #iheartOmron Alternates were selected as well and they will receive product and will be given the opportunity to participate in case any of the other bloggers are not able to fulfill the requirements.

1. Tiffany Washko of Nature Moms as @TiffanyWashko
2. Donna Hup of Donna’s Deals and More as @Donnahup
3. Dani Holmes-Kirk of Weight Off My Shoulders as @IrishEyes1982

So now what? Well, you can follow this amazing team by watching the #iheartOmron hashtag on Twitter and by looking out for their post later in the month. And if you would like to join us for a virtual 5K on March 30th with the #iheartOmron team, we welcome you. Participants will be entered to win cash. A post with more instructions is soon to come.

And for those of you who are looking for a good challenge, check out the Mamavation Two Week Challenge  3/11-24.Thanks again to everyone who applied.