This product was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Have you heard of Chia seeds?  Have you tried them yet?  Chia seeds are packed full of nutrition and are extremely versatile.  We are happy to join Salba as a Salba Smart Chia Ambassador!

How do I chia?  I start my day with it!  Almost every morning, I have a bowl of granola with some Greek yogurt mixed in.  I sprinkle some chia seeds on top and mix – how easy is that?  So not only am I getting a little extra crunch, I am getting added nutrition, from fiber to Omega-3′s.

As a busy mom, it is so important for me to find easy ways to eat healthier when I am so busy and on the go.  Salba even makes single serve packets, which I take with me when we travel or even when we are camping!  There are so many ways you can use chia seeds – from drinks to desserts to everyday cooking.  Salba even makes chia salsa!

Here are some of the many benefits of Salba chia!

• Boosts Nutrition:  Salba chia is the richest whole food source of Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) and fiber found in nature on a gram for gram basis. Every 15g serving of Salba provides over 3,400 mg of Omega-3s (ALA) – 800% more Omega-3 (ALA) than salmon (EPA/DHA). Salba has less than 1 g net carbohydrate per serving.
• Curbs Appetite:  Each serving contains 5.1g of dietary fiber to support healthy digestion and increase satiety, which can help to ward of cravings and sugar crashes. Salba Chia seeds absorb many times their weight in water, which helps to slow digestion and leave you feeling fuller for longer.
• Easy to use:  Salba Chia can be used whole or ground to boost phytonutrient-rich shakes and smoothies, or sprinkled into everyday foods like cereal, yoghurt, salads and baked goods. Salba chia is also a quick fix for kid’s diets, helping to add hidden nutrition to favorite foods.
• Find Salba at Whole Foods Market and other natural foods stores, or order online at www.amazon.com and www.salbasmart.com.  Individual servings of Salba® Chia Premium Ground and Whole Seed (SRP $0.99), fit easily into a purse, wallet, sports bag or backpack for breakfast on the go.

You can visit Salba Chia at http://www.salbasmart.com/.  Also check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

How do you Chia?  Tell us- and you could win a gift pack of Salba Chia products!  Enter in the Rafflecopter form below.

This product was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

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Gift Box of Various Salba Chia Products

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Official Rules and Details: Winner will be emailed after the giveaway closes and also announced on this blog under the featured “Recent Giveaway Winners” section on the homepage of our blog-azine within a few days after the close of the giveaway. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to our email, or another winner will be drawn. We never share your email with third parties. Prize(s) will be mailed directly from the sponsoring brand. No purchase necessary. Erroneous entries (specifically those that did not follow the entry rules) will not be considered. Non-US resident winners may have to answer a series of simple questions in order to comply with international regulations on sweepstakes. To view our complete rules and regulations, please click here.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely that of NoM, and are completely honest and without influence. NoM has chosen to host a giveaway for this product(s) because we think it would benefit our readers. NoM will not responsible for prizes that have not been received, but will make every attempt to assist winner(s) in securing them in a timely fashion. It is the winner’s responsibility to make contact with NoM in a timely manner (within 30 days after the close of the giveaway) to report that a prize(s) has not been received or the prize(s) may be void. NoM may or may not be an affiliate of one or more products mentioned in this review, and by clicking on and/or purchasing products from a banner or link on this page, NoM may make a small commission at no cost to you.   Click on the appropriate links to view our full policies, giveaway rules and disclaimers.

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If you love albums filled with learning opportunities, terrific vocabulary words, deep thinking lyrics and a variety of musical genres and styles, you will love this new album from Dean Jones, “When the World Was New”. Dean Jones is a Grammy award-winning producer who you may recognize from his work with Dog on Fleas and The Felice Brothers.  This is a rare solo project.

When the World Was New

A peek into the lives of cavemen…

Snail Mail

I love finding letters in the mailbox.  So “get down to the post office and send me some snail mail.”

A Sparrow’s Soul

Musings about a sparrow, a caterpillar, turtles, feelings, thinking and other things…

Human Bean

Babies in tummies of mommies look like a bean.  “I am a human bean…”  Jazzy and fun!

Stand With Me

Great advice for children and adults alike…

I Tried to Make a Friend

Making friends is not that easy…  (giggle)

Outshining Nomads

An upbeat set of observations about the life of a nomad…

Prehensile Grip

“Would we ever have become the top of the food chain…without prehensile grip?”  (Evolutionary thinking…)

Join a Rock and Roll Band

“ You can’t know everything, so go and join a rock and roll band…”

Peace in the Valley

Hope for the future…

Absurd

The word is absurd…

I Feel Like I Live in a Dream

“There is mystery in every star and every apple…”

The styles of music on this album cover a pleasant variety of genres and types.  Plus, the topics and lyrics include terrific vocabulary such as prehensile, absurd and nomads.  This is not your typical children’s album.  With 12 different songs, there is something here for everyone.

Learn more about Dean Jones, Dog on Fleas and their music by checking out their website.  On their site, you can also listen to other albums (I like “Invisible Friends“) and even listen to some of his music.  Follow them on YouTube to catch their highly entertaining videos, like the song ”Snail Mail” from this album, and get news and updates on their Facebook page.

“When the World Was New” was released May 14th, 2013, and costs $12.99 for CD, or $9.99 for digital download from Dean Jones, CD Baby and BigKids.com.

Check out the “Snail Mail” soundtrack here:

This product was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

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Dean Jones “When the World Was New” CD

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Official Rules and Details: Winner will be emailed after the giveaway closes and also announced on this blog under the featured “Recent Giveaway Winners” section on the homepage of our blog-azine within a few days after the close of the giveaway. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to our email, or another winner will be drawn. We never share your email with third parties. Prize(s) will be mailed directly from the sponsoring brand. No purchase necessary. Erroneous entries (specifically those that did not follow the entry rules) will not be considered. Non-US resident winners may have to answer a series of simple questions in order to comply with international regulations on sweepstakes. To view our complete rules and regulations, please click here.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely that of NoM, and are completely honest and without influence. NoM has chosen to host a giveaway for this product(s) because we think it would benefit our readers. NoM will not responsible for prizes that have not been received, but will make every attempt to assist winner(s) in securing them in a timely fashion. It is the winner’s responsibility to make contact with NoM in a timely manner (within 30 days after the close of the giveaway) to report that a prize(s) has not been received or the prize(s) may be void. NoM may or may not be an affiliate of one or more products mentioned in this review, and by clicking on and/or purchasing products from a banner or link on this page, NoM may make a small commission at no cost to you.   Click on the appropriate links to view our full policies, giveaway rules and disclaimers.

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When we first installed our family pool, we weren’t regular about maintenance. We quickly discovered that things got handled very ineffectively, many times on a “we’ll get to that soon” basis that led to some problems – a bit of algae build up, the pump working harder than it needed to because of a clogged leaf basket, that sort of thing.

I am a big fan of checklists, which is a necessity when it comes to keeping the pool in shape, especially during the summer months when the pool is in use a lot.  So here are the items I check off for weekly upkeep:

1) Test the water.  Use a kit to test the water chemicals and make sure they are in balance.  Check the pH to make sure it is at the proper level, just above neutral – between 7.2 and 7.6 parts per million (ppm).  You also want to test the chlorine level, to make sure it stays between 1 and 3 ppm. This doesn’t take long at all, and it’s recommended that it be done 2 to 3 times a week.  So we test as part of our weekly maintenance, and then again a couple more times during the week.

2) Adjust the chemicals.  It doesn’t help to test the water and then not do anything about it.  So when the kids aren’t around, if the chemicals need to be adjusted, we do that.  We follow a very careful safety routine when we are working with pool chemicals – use safety goggles, heavy gloves, and never handle the chemicals on a windy day – that would just increase the possibility of an injury.  If we tested the water and it needs adjustment, and it happens to be a windy day, we postpone – but it doesn’t get checked off the list.

3) Check the pool pump.  Regularly check the pool pump to make sure it’s working properly, and take note of the pressure gauge. If it has risen to 8 to 10 psi above normal, it’s time to backwash the system.  We make sure to do that as soon as we spot it, so it doesn’t get too bad before we have to handle it.

4) Clean out the pool pump. Once a week, we shut down the pump and open the basket to clean out hair, lint and debris. It’s amazing how quickly it has built up each week, and we decided to make this a weekly item for our checklist, because it’s less trouble than doing it later. Also, we found out the pump works more efficiently if there are no blockages.

5) Brush the pool. One of our favorite chores. I’m kidding, of course.  We are not terribly fond of doing this, but it’s the easiest way to assure that no algae builds up on the walls and sides of the pool. We use one of those brushes on a long handle, and it really doesn’t take that long.

6) Clean out the leaves. After we brush the pool, we take a leaf net and manually get the leaves and debris out of the pool. It doesn’t take long, and it just means less time cleaning the pool pump leaf basket.  It is well worth the regular effort.

Now that we do things regularly, we don’t worry about it.  We just sit back and watch the kids play in the pool, at peace because we’ve provided them a clean pool to play in.

Becky Flanigan has 3 kids with her wonderful husband – two boys and a girl – and two lovely golden retrievers.  She spends hours at her family swimming pool, watching the kids and dogs play and have fun.

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Need an energy boost?  You will love “I Like Everything About You (Yes I Do!)” from Crosspulse Percussion Ensemble.  Each of the songs on this CD is upbeat and fun.  You may not understand some of the words, but you will be energized by the beat (and maybe even try to sing along).

Walkin’ the Dog

An old nursery rhyme set to music…the lyrics are silly and fun!

Yamawele

Congo Scarf Dance played with lots of drums.

Body Beat

Body percussion makes great music…and its portable!

Little Liza Jane

An upbeat blend of three parts in call and response format!

Cumbe

A song in honor of the Venezuelan patron saint of drumming

Rara

Proof that anything can become a rhythmic instrument

Breaths

Includes nature sounds from the wind and water

CooCoo

Who knew gourds made such good music?  Gourds as drums and banjo here.

Krin

A call and response rowing song from Ghana…fun to hear when they go double time.

Jalan-Jalan

More body percussion…what fun!

Flores

An upbeat introduction to a variety of rhythmic and melodic instruments…This one will make you and your kids want to dance!

I Like Everything About You (Yes, I Do)

A slower piece with terrific, uplifting lyrics

My favorite thing about this album is the variety of musical styles and instruments used, some of which I had never heard of previously.  The cajon, karinyan, quitiplas, bolon, and krin were all new and intriguing to me.  Crosspulse Percussion Ensemble has been around since 1992, bringing together a wide variety of music and cultural influences.  It is worth owning this album just to hear them in action!

“I Like Everything About You (Yes I Do!)” from Crosspulse Percussion Ensemble can be used and enjoyed in so many settings.  Studying multicultural music or instruments?  This is for you.  Need a variety of songs for a workout?  This is for you.  Want to be inspired to include body percussion in your choir’s repertoire?  This is for you.  Want some fun music to dance to in the kitchen?  This is for you.  If you want some fun rhythms to emulate in your drum circle, this album is for you!  Upbeat and fun, everyone will enjoy this album.

The first song on the CD is a blend of R&B music and nursery rhyme lyrics, a unique introduction to some very interesting music.  With lots of body percussion in songs like “Body Beat”, you can’t help but to join in and get moving too!  The CD winds down with “I Like Everything About You”, which has a slower, more relaxed tempo.  “I Like Everything About You” has a run time of 42 minutes and is recommended for all ages.

“I Like Everything About You” from Crosspulse Percussion Ensemble will be released on July 9, 2013, and will be available for purchase from Crosspulse and CDBaby.  Both sites allow you to catch a sneak peak at the music with short clips from various songs.

Follow Crosspulse on Facebook or Twitter, or you can visit Crosspulse.com to subscribe to their newsletter for updates.

The product was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

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Crosspulse Percussion Ensemble’s
“Everything I Like About You (Yes I Do!)” CD – ($15)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Official Rules and Details: Winner will be emailed after the giveaway closes and also announced on this blog under the featured “Recent Giveaway Winners” section on the homepage of our blog-azine within a few days after the close of the giveaway. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to our email, or another winner will be drawn. We never share your email with third parties. Prize(s) will be mailed directly from the sponsoring brand. No purchase necessary. Erroneous entries (specifically those that did not follow the entry rules) will not be considered. Non-US resident winners may have to answer a series of simple questions in order to comply with international regulations on sweepstakes. To view our complete rules and regulations, please click here.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely that of NoM, and are completely honest and without influence. NoM has chosen to host a giveaway for this product(s) because we think it would benefit our readers. NoM will not responsible for prizes that have not been received, but will make every attempt to assist winner(s) in securing them in a timely fashion. It is the winner’s responsibility to make contact with NoM in a timely manner (within 30 days after the close of the giveaway) to report that a prize(s) has not been received or the prize(s) may be void. NoM may or may not be an affiliate of one or more products mentioned in this review, and by clicking on and/or purchasing products from a banner or link on this page, NoM may make a small commission at no cost to you.   Click on the appropriate links to view our full policies, giveaway rules and disclaimers.

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I don’t like to talk about it out loud too often, but I used to get yeast infections in rather uncomfortable places very frequently.  In fact, I went in to see the gynecologist one time and she called every other medical professional in the office in to see my yeast infection.  It had spread down my legs and was nearly to my knees.  Yikes.  How embarrassing!  Let’s just say that long skirts with nothing under them were my wardrobe for a few days.

With my first child, I learned that yeast infections can happen in other places, too.  While nursing, I got a yeast infection in both breasts that made wearing clothing quite painful.  It was then that started learning about every conceivable treatment available.  I tried everything over the counter, on the grapevine, and by prescription, with no relief. 

I tried gentian violet.  I tried washing with apple cider vinegar.  I tried Miconazol.  I tried Diflucan.  I tried cold cabbage leaves.  I tried this and that and everything else.  I even worked to reduce the sugar in my diet.  And then I went down to almost zero carbs (since they convert easily to sugar).  I was really struggling, and it was frustrating.  I could eat almost nothing and I felt horrible.  

Then, a woman in my nursing support group asked if I had tried grapefruit seed extract.  Yup.  You read it correctly.  Grapefruit.  Seed.  Extract.  Not grapefruits.  Not grapefruit extract.  Grapefruit seed extract.

This stuff became my best friend.  Within two days, I felt like a human being again.  Nice.  This stuff is amazing.  At first I was reluctant to take something that is used to purify water that may be contaminated by things like giardia – but it worked almost immediately.  Here is a little bit of information about using it to treat a yeast infection, how it works, and what you need to do to make it most effective, plus dosing and purchasing information. 

In doing some research, I also learned that grapefruit seed extract is not just terrific for purifying water or killing yeast infections.  It has a myriad of other health benefits.    Here is one source of information.  (Rabbit trail:  Our family was recently hit with multiple rounds of diarrhea.  I hate taking “stuff” to make me feel better, hoping instead for my body to take care of healing itself.  However, after the third or fourth round of being knocked out and having to stay near the bathroom, I was told by a dear friend that diarrhea is often treatable, using- guess what- Grapefruit seed extract!  I took one dose and did not have any more diarrhea.  I was so excited.)

Grapefruit seed extract is very bitter stuff.  So I am happy to report that you can get it in liquid form (great for treating little ones who can drink from a cup) OR pill form.  Either is effective.  I even put several drops on a clean washcloth and used it to wipe off my baby’s tongue before and after he nursed to help treat an oral yeast infection (thrush).  I personally prefer the pill form because it is easy to take and leaves no bitter aftertaste.

If you struggle with yeast, I would encourage you to look into grapefruit seed extract.  Hopefully, this will help someone else who is struggling!  Here’s to being yeast infection free!

Kimberlee

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Bumbleride® Streamlines Summer Family Vacations with 2013 Flite® Stroller

Compact, Lightweight-Yet-Tough Stroller Simplifies Summer Traveling and Sight-Seeing

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 15, 2013)  – Bumbleride, manufacturer of luxury strollers for active, sophisticated parents, gets families moving with ease and effortless style this summer vacation season with the Flite stroller, enhanced for 2013 with bright new environmentally-friendly fabrics and an improved, extended canopy (watch the new video to see it in action).

Designed to provide maximum functionality with the minimum weight and bulk, the ultra-slim, 14-pound Flite helps parents catch the train, board the plane, hit the road or see the sights, hassle-free, so that family vacations can stay focused on fun and relaxation.

“The Flite stroller has all of the convenience of an umbrella stroller, but unlike others is supported by a durable frame,” says Bumbleride Marketing Coordinator Ryan Willson. “It’s designed smart, slim and strong to last the miles on summer trips and everyday commutes.”

Built with a lightweight aluminum frame that can accommodate up to 50 pounds, the 2013 Flite boasts several key features for the frequent-flyer family:

Stow – The Flite’s ultra-slim, quick-release fold makes storage and stowing a cinch, while saving room in the trunk for souvenirs and luggage. The built-in carrying handle enables parents to easily lift the folded stroller into the car, train or storage bin.

Drive – Unlike many lightweight strollers, the Flite comes standard with a universal car seat adapter, helping ease the transition of infants from the car to the stroller, and back again. For toddlers, the new five-point breakaway harness simplifies the process of getting in and out of the stroller, while keeping them safe from entanglement.

Explore – Whether traversing the brick piazzas of Europe or the boardwalk of Atlantic City, the Flite’s tough four-wheel suspension provides a smooth ride for traveling tots, while the ample cargo basket makes room for toys and essentials for the day. When it’s nap time, parents won’t miss a step thanks to the larger, redesigned SPF-45 canopy and multi-adjusting backrest and footrest.

Reduced “Footprints” – With a vibrant and refreshing new palette of colors (including spicy Cayenne, soothing Papyrus, and the eye-catching Aquamarine) the 2013 Flite is made with natural fabrics, featuring an exterior polyester fabric made with 50% recycled PET (plastic bottles) and a silky soft new interior fabric made of 50% sustainable bamboo charcoal, helping the traveling family protect the planet as they explore it.

Founded in San Diego, California in 2004, Bumbleride strollers balance superior function with luxury design to provide sophisticated, active families with lasting value. Streamlined and intuitively engineered designs make life easier and more comfortable for babies and parents, while fresh, fashion-forward color schemes, fabrics and silhouettes offer discerning parents a heightened stroller aesthetic. Along with informed, inspired and ergonomic designs, social and environmental responsibility and personalized customer care are at the core of the Bumbleride experience.

For more information about Bumbleride, visit www.Bumbleride.com.

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Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights have done it again.  They have put together an album full of fun songs that will make you want to sing along.  Covering a variety of topics, her new album “Bandwagon” is upbeat and fun.  Check out these songs:

Are We There Yet?
How many times have you heard that?  A fun song about car travel!

Back to School
For the love of school supplies and new clothes!  We are going back to school!

Bandwagon
Join the band on the bandwagon!  You can bring your instrument or your voice and get up on the bandwagon!

I Love New York
More than 38 reasons to love New York!

UFO
I know what I saw.  It was a UFO!

Family Tree
Generations of love written down so they will not be forgotten.

Nutritious
“Good nutrition is everywhere.”  Shop smart and eat nutritious!

Helmet
Along with my new bike is a helmet, knee pads, elbows pads and goggles!  Safety first!

Use Your Words
I must say this 100 times a day with my youngest and his playmates.  A gentle reminder.

Little Cloud
A happy little song about clouds, sun, rain and rainbows.  (This is my favorite song on the album.)

Falling
“I’m falling for autumn…”

Let’s Go
“It’s so cold out.  I see the snow is falling…I think I’m wearing all I own.  But it’s a good thing.  It keeps me warm…”

Canon Song
Some music education thrown in for fun!  Love it!

Bed
“I don’t want to go to bed.”  You can hear the whine (and the tiredness) in the music!

Nightlights
Shine, shine, shine…

Listen to this album in the car, in the kitchen or on your own.  You may find yourself singing and maybe even dancing along.  And, might notice that one of the songs, “Nutrition”, has fun lyrics sung to the tune of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”!  Most of the songs are fast and upbeat, but there is a nice balance of slower songs mixed in as well, including the last two songs (“Bed” and “Nightlights”) which are a nice way to wind down the CD.

Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights really shine in this album, which is her fifth children’s CD.  As with her other albums, the songs are fun, easy to join in and include lyrics that kids (and parents, too) can relate to!  With a run time of 42 minutes, this CD is geared for ages 2-9 and will keep your kids entertained.

Bandwagon will be available as a CD and digital download June 25, 2013 from Joanie Leeds, Amazon, CDBaby and iTunes.

Until then, check out Joanie’s four other children’s music albums: City Kid, Challah, Challah, I’m A Rock Star, and What A Zoo – all filled with happy, dancing-type, sing-along music.  I know you will love them – I did!  Here is our review of her award-winning CD, “What a Zoo!”  You can also listen to clips from her other albums, check out her performance calendar, and sign up for her monthly newsletter!

Follow Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Happy listening!

This product was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

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Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights CD

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Other Official Rules and Details: Winner will be emailed after the giveaway closes and also announced on this blog under the featured “Recent Giveaway Winners” section on the homepage of our blog-azine within a few days after the close of the giveaway. Winner will have 72 hours to respond to our email, or another winner will be drawn. We never share your email with third parties. Prize(s) will be mailed directly from the sponsoring brand. No purchase necessary. Erroneous entries (specifically those that did not follow the entry rules) will not be considered. Non-US resident winners may have to answer a series of simple questions in order to comply with international regulations on sweepstakes. To view our complete rules and regulations, please click here.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely that of NoM, and are completely honest and without influence. NoM has chosen to host a giveaway for this product(s) because we think it would benefit our readers. NoM will not responsible for prizes that have not been received, but will make every attempt to assist winner(s) in securing them in a timely fashion. It is the winner’s responsibility to make contact with NoM in a timely manner (within 30 days after the close of the giveaway) to report that a prize(s) has not been received or the prize(s) may be void. NoM may or may not be an affiliate of one or more products mentioned in this review, and by clicking on and/or purchasing products from a banner or link on this page, NoM may make a small commission at no cost to you.   Click on the appropriate links to view our full policies, giveaway rules and disclaimers.

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Well here is a quick explanation and tutorial on what these terms mean and how you can use them to enhance your own pictures!

Dodging is simply a tool that helps brighten certain areas of images that were underexposed at the time the picture was taken.

On the contrary, burning is then darkening an image.  This technique is typically used as a measure of artistic rendering and does not effectively darken overexposed pictures.

After opening up your picture in Photoshop, select the dodge or burn tool (as described and pictured above).

In this image pictured below, you see it in all of its “Out of the Camera” awfulness!

It is difficult to manipulate settings on your camera while going in and out of a wide range of lighting situations.  In this case, the couple had just been married and were in a second line parade back to their reception site.  (I also was photographing while violently ill with food poisoning!)

So, the first thing that I need to do is to lighten my image by creating a curves layer.

Once this is complete I used the dodge tool to darken the outside of the picture.  This creates a line of sight for the person viewing the image to focus on what is important ~ in this case it was the bride and groom.

In addition, I had a great perspective of the street.  Utilizing the dodge tool, I was able to create what looked like tread wear, from French Quarter traffic, to lighten up the street and create another line of sight directing the eye to the couple.

Here is the image after editing:

Using the dodge and burn tools take much practice, but when used effectively, can create a great artistic touch and enhancement to any picture!

Melanie is the owner of Melanie Melugin Photography, LLC based out of North Dallas. She is a natural light outdoor lifestyle photographer that has a wide variety of clients ranging from newborn and children to celebrity and weddings.  She travels the country capturing lifestyle portraiture and was recently featured on Mardel.com for her newborn photography.

Please feel free to visit her at her website, meluginphotography.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

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I always hoped, because I was a girl, I would be prepared to raise girls. Until I had them. Times are very different from when I was young, and the pressures on our three daughters are immense. I thought the pressure was bad for me, but now it is worse. Our oldest daughter is 8 1/2 and she is bombarded with pressure from the media and from her peers. I can already see how society is telling her that how she looks matters more than who she is.

We all want our girls to grow up healthy, confident, and happy. We want them to know who they are, and understand how great their potential. But with all the pressure to be like Cinderella, it seems to be harder to help our girls really, really believe in themselves.

Is there something wrong with Cinderella? Is there something wrong with all the pink and glitter and fairy tale? Probably not, but they sure do add a great deal of pressure.

Studies show that young girls today face more pressure than ever to be “princess perfect”. Not only do they have to get straight A’s, but they have to be fashionable, beautiful and kind. They are exposed to media that makes them worry about being pretty and sexy, and a study from the University of Minnesota has even found that advertisements have a negative impact on girl’s self-esteem.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the truth of all of this. I would hope that executives at Disney and Mattel don’t sit around in their board meetings thinking of ways to sexualize young girls. But “princess perfect” sells and so it is naturally going to be pushed on our daughters.

Although society is targeting our young girls, we are still their parents, and responsibility lies on us. We want to blame the media, but ultimately, as parents, we do have a final say.

So how can we help? What can we as parents do to help our girls deal with the pink Cinderella pressure?

1. Watch what we say.
As parents, we need to make sure that our comments don’t teach our girls that success and happiness is defined by how we look and what we wear. This applies to the comments we make about ourselves and our looks, as well as the comments we make about others. “You look like a princess” could actually be doing more harm than good.

2. Praise our girls for their strengths and effort.
This goes along with the first point. If you have a girl, monitor what you say to her in a 24 hour period. What is the focus of your comments? Naturally we comment on how cute they are, “you look so pretty”, “I love your dress.”
Instead of commenting on their looks, praise and comment on the effort they put into things and for the areas they are strong. Society will bombard them with feelings about clothes and looks. As parents we need to teach them they are strong and capable.

3. Give them challenges.
Provide challenges for our girls. Kids don’t wake up and think “I am going to make myself do something hard today”. We have to help provide them with challenges that they can overcome. This helps them believe in themselves and translates into future challenge. It builds their worth, based on their talents, abilities, and work ethic, instead of their looks and clothes. It also helps them keep a sense of reality. Our daughters can do hard things, really well. Help them see that.

4. Encourage them to pursue their passions and strengths. 

It is normal for us to try and fit our girls into a cookie cutter mold. The mold is usually pink and purple and plays with dolls. Although these tendencies make sense, at the same time, our daughters will have their own passions and strengths. Where appropriate, help them pursue those passions. Support them and encourage them to love what they love, instead of asking “what would Cinderella do”.

5. Love them
Whether they like Cinderella or not. Keep your arms wide open at all times so that kids know they are loved. Be safer and stronger and more vocal than the media. So they know where to go to find love and acceptance and protection.

There power of the media and the Cinderella factor is not going away anytime soon. As parents, we can serve as a buffer to help our girls live with the pressure, but not be defined by it. Love them for who they are and they will blossom into their own wonderful.

How do you buffer the “Cinderella Effect”?

Do you find that your girls are faced with challenges much earlier than you were as a girl?

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As a teenager and in my college years, it was easy to use popular antiperspirants.  They were cute, they smelled so good, and they worked really well.  I had nothing to worry about and it wasn’t something I gave much thought.

Later, as I started making healthier choices, I did a lot of research about antiperspirants.  Antiperspirants have been linked to a number of possible health issues, including things like Alzheimer’s, breast cancer, skin irritation and much more.  Although many findings are inconclusive as to dangers of antiperspirants, I still did not want to be putting any chemicals on my skin, many of which are known for being skin irritants.  I wanted to choose natural ingredients over things like aluminum, parabens, fragrance, dyes, propylene glycol, and more.

Over the years, the variety of natural deodorants available has increased quite a bit.  When I was younger, the selection was quite small and often hard to find.  Now, there are so many more products to choose from, and even my local grocery store carries several natural deodorants in their natural foods section.  I do recommend reading labels, because often times companies try to make a product seem natural when that may not entirely be the case.

There are quite a few different kinds of natural deodorants.  One of the products that may come to mind when you think of natural deodorants is a crystal rock deodorant, made from mineral salt.  There are also liquid roll-ons, sticks, or tubs, all made of different types of ingredients.  You can even find recipes online for making your own natural deodorants with ingredients like coconut oil.

It can take some experimenting before you find just the right natural deodorant for you.  Give your body some time to adjust.  Remember that antiperspirant keeps your body from sweating, and deodorant will not.  I tried quite a few deodorants before I found something that worked.  It was difficult, and frustrating, but I persevered and found something that I am entirely happy with, and I feel so much better about not using chemicals on my skin.

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