Camp Superfluous

Happy

Sad

               For reasons I still can't quite fathom, I am paying good money this week to send my 8-year-old drama queen to...

drama camp.

 

Afraid

Confused

Angry

Surprised


Next stop, Broadway!

Menu Plan Monday

It's not so much a menu plan as a short list of things I plan to cook sometime this week. For what it's worth, here it is!

Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Wraps

Grecian Pork Tenderloin

Cilantro-Lime Slaw

Layered Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Visit orgjunkie.com for more menu planning ideas!

Healthy Breakfast Choices

Of these two breakfast menu choices, which do you think has less sugar?

1. a Krispy Kreme glazed donut

2. A bowl of Fruit Loops (1 cup)

If you chose the cereal, you'd be wrong! The donut has 10 gm of sugar and the cereal has 14 gm.

My daughter loves Froot Loops, and not the 1/3 less sugar kind. I've been giving it to her while at the same time denying her requests for donuts because, in my mind donuts are too sugary! I'm not saying donuts are a good breakfast choice, but I have to admit that the cereal I'm giving her hasn't been much better. Healthy breakfasts are definitely something I need to work a little harder on.

There are some good cereal choices out there. Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Kix, and Life have earned good ratings from Consumer Reports for their low sugar content and whole grains. Scrambled eggs are always popular in my house, and I can make them quickly in the microwave. These high-fiber energy muffins are a make-ahead kind of thing, but they're a hit with all of my family. Add some fruit to these choices for a pretty good breakfast. Do you have some healthy breakfast options to suggest? Please share them in the comments!

Tip: Visit Breakfast Cereals Compared to compare the nutritional values of cereal from Kellogg's, General Mills, and Post.

Shop For Father's Day With Ebates!

Father’s Day will be here before you know it! This would be a great weekend to do some online shopping for the men in your life. And, if you shop online through ebates, you can get cash back! I love shopping at my favorite stores through ebates. It doesn’t cost me anything extra, and once in a while I get a check in the mail.

Check out some of the latest cash back offers from the stores below, then click on the ebates graphic here and sign up! Find your store on the ebates page and then shop as usual. There are tons of stores beyond the ones listed here! When you make a purchase, you’ll soon see a little bit of money has accumulated in your ebates account.



Home Depot –       5% Cash back
Brookstone –         7% Cash back
JC Penney -           6% Cash back
Lands End –          6% Cash back
Omaha Steaks –    7% Cash back
Eddie Bauer –        6% Cash back
Golf Outlet USA –  6% Cash back
Shoebuy –             10% Cash back
Borders –               6% Cash back
Snapfish –              8% Cash back

EBIIT Hall of Shame: Skechers Shape-Ups for Girls

That's my girl! For you moms who still have girls in the baby/toddler/preschool ages, here's fair warning. The body image hangups start early. "Momma, I don't like that outfit! It makes me look faaaat!"  (I ask you, do you see an ounce of fat on that 8-year-old body?)  She doesn't hear that kind of self-denigrating talk from me. My daughter hears this stuff from her friends, and they all hear it from the overwhelming truckloads of marketing aimed at women and their insecurities. Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., agrees with me over at Huffington Post.

The sad truth is, my girls are almost certainly facing a lifetime of advertisements that will be geared to make them feel like their looks are inadequate. They'll regularly be made to feel that their bodies are too fat, their lips insufficiently red, their skin too rough, their hair too frizzy, their breasts too small, and their butts too big. Magazines, TV spots, product placements, celebrity spokespeople -- there will be no shortage of unrealistic expectations to eat away at my babies' self-esteem.

The truth is, she's beautiful just as she is. And that's why I'm disgusted with the latest ad campaign from Skechers.

Yep, Skechers has decided to capitalize on the insecurities of tweens by marketing their Shape-Up shoes to  girls as young as 7. They start at size 2 - the size my munchkin wears. Of course, their excuse is that they're promoting fitness. I might buy that if they made Shape-ups for little boys. They don't. The message to girls? You're never too young to hate your body, and we hope you will be gullible enough to think our silly-looking shoes will tone up your fanny.

Skechers Shape-Ups For Girls

So, for shame, Skechers! I hereby confer upon you the first-ever Everything Beautiful In Its Time Hall of Shame Award! This award will be periodically offered to anyone or anything that I deem to be a bad influence on my tween girl. Now, pick your shoes up off the floor and go stand in the corner.

Welcome Wednesday Blog Hop

Making new friends today at the Welcome Wednesday Hop hosted at Take It From Me! Why don't you join us?