Lessons from the Scrapbook Page

Just thinking about it makes my head itch.

It's lice and I don't know of many other things that can make your skin crawl like that one little word. And elicit fear in mothers worldwide as they do everything they can to prevent it from coming to their home.

I remember getting a notice when I was in junior high that someone at school had lice and we all had to be careful. We were not to share coats, hairbrushes or hats. We never found out who had it but we always had our suspicions. I assumed it was kids who weren't clean or maybe didn't take enough baths.

It wasn't until my daughter got it at preschool when she was four that I realized cleanliness had nothing to do with it. I actually found out from our doctor at the time that those insipid little creatures like clean heads, especially curly clean hair. Well, that meant my daughter and it was not fun.

We used some product off the shelf which was supposed to work. It didn't. We tried another. No luck. I finally had to cut her hair and comb through each strand one by one. Not a picnic for either one of us.

I'm happy to report that there is a better way now. It's called Lice MD. I'm even happier to report that I don't need it right now, so if you do, I've got a free sample for you from Mom Central. It's effective, safe, simple, and pesticide free. Also non-toxic and odorless. All good things to have when you're using it on the sensitive scalp of your child.

If you're dealing with this problem now, I sympathize. If you'd like a free sample and you're the first one to email me, I'll send it to you right away. Don't worry, I won't make a big announcement about who got the free sample...just between us.

Visit the Lice M.D. Web site to learn more about this product and watch their video. If you have kids in grade school, this is something you should definitely keep on hand. The Lice M.D. Web site offers more product info as well as testimonials, additional resources, and printable coupons for Lice M.D.

The power of leaving a legacy.

Remembering our forefathers and their commitment to this country is inspiring. This image was taken in 1918 of 18,000 men preparing for war in a training camp at Camp Dodge in Iowa. As you look at their faces, say a prayer for our soldiers today.

I want to be 40!

Never thought I'd write that or even think that, but it's true. And here's why...

Pond's has partnered with the big screen remake of Mamma Mia!, starring Meryl Streep and coming to theaters this summer. (I love Meryl Streep.) Women 40 and older are invited to form a singing trio to perform their own take on the classics "Mamma Mia" or "Dancing Queen" and submit videos of their performances via the Pond's website, which also houses music and lyrics you can download to rehearse.

It's like American Idol for grown ups, but designed for amateur karaoke enthusiasts who just love the music from Mamma Mia! Add two friends and a digital camera recorder, and you're in business! The winners of the contest will win a lavish trip to London to live the life of three Dynamos at the world premiere of Mamma Mia!

The deadline for submissions is April 30th. That doesn't give you much time, but if you've got a Mac, it should be easy. You could record it in Photo Booth, edit it in iMovie and publish it in iDVD. With a lavish trip to London, it's definitely worth it!

Check out the Pond's site for more information. They have a video trailer, links to download songs from the movie, and tips for making a great video. This is your chance to shine!

Life-transforming advice for parents.

A special message from Allison Bottke, highly respected author and speaker, and most importantly, a mom who has been through more than I can imagine. 

Our country is in a crisis of epidemic proportion concerning adult children whose lives are spinning out of control—leaving parents and grandparents broken-hearted and confused. This painful issue is destroying individuals, families, marriages, churches, and communities. I believe in my heart that you are reading this message today for a very specific reason. Do you know someone who has an adult child who is always in crisis? An adult child who brings chaos to virtually every situation? Could this painful issue be touching your life today?

If so, there’s a truth I’ve come to embrace that has changed my life—it can change yours, too. It’s taken me more years than I care to admit, but I no longer believe in “coincidences.” The truth I’ve come to embrace is that God is the Master of orchestrating “God-cidences.” He has a plan for who he wants us to meet, what lessons he wants us to learn, even what books he wants us to read. He even has a plan for the trials and tribulations of life.

When we begin to look at everything that happens to us throughout the day as “God-cidences” (and not accidental coincidences) it changes the way we view our world.

That said, my prayer is that you will see the following message and the book; Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing as a “God-cidence” placed into your life today for a powerful purpose. Perhaps it’s to help heal your family or the family of a loved one. Perhaps you are here to help us introduce this resource to a broader audience via additional media contacts you may have. Whatever the “God-cidence” may be, please know our primary goal is to bring hope and healing to families around the nation—thank you for helping us do that.

I pray you will view what you are about to read as a “God-cidence” meant just for you.

God Bless and Keep You,
Allison Bottke

I know that many of you, like me, are mothers of young children and just starting out on this journey of parenthood. If that's you, make sure you read the answer to my last question. I always value words of wisdom from moms who have been through the fire and survived, which is why I value Allison's perspective and hard-earned answers to tough questions. She was kind enough to answer some of my specific questions about her book. I hope that you will be inspired and perhaps reminded of someone that might be in need of this exact message today. I know I can easily think of a few people struggling with these issues right now.

Here's Allison again...

Are you daring?

Would you consider yourself daring? I used to. In high school, I was voted as the most daring person on my dance team. In college, I did a backward swan dive off a bunjee jump. Pretty daring feats if you ask me.

So, let me ask you...do you dare to wear white?

Have you heard of the Dare to Wear White website and campaign? When I first heard about it, I was completely in the dark as most women are. The more I learned, the more I was shocked by the statistics...an issue that affects 10 million women and no one is talking about it. I knew I had to share this with you.

Dare to Wear White is a website where you can learn more about this issue that affects 1 in 5 women. Once you've taken a look at the site, you can take a survey. The first 250 eligible women (i.e. those who have heavy periods and are finished having children) who complete their short simple survey, will receive a $10 Amazon gift certificate as a thank you for your participation.

This is what I've learned...