Mommin' It Up!

June 21, 2013June 20, 2013

In which I did NOT super-glue my fingers together

I am not the most, um, coordinated person you’ll ever meet, as I have waxed eloquently about before (ahem, more than once).

It should not surprise you then, when I admit that I have had more than one mishap with super glue. Being a cheapskate, of course, I purchased the cheapest super glue I could find, which as it turns out, may not have been the *best* choice. The first unfortunate incident happened when I tried to glue some of Joshua’s Awana patches on his Awana vest when he was a Cubbie (you know, the kind of patches you’re supposed to sew on. But since I can’t even sew a button…). The other incident occurred when I was trying to fix Sophie’s favorite board game (which we’ll get back to in a minute). Both episodes resulted in my fingers being stuck together and me panicking and losing some skin trying to get them apart. Neither episode resulted in the items being fixed. LE SIGH.

Set that cute little story aside for a minute and fast-forward to a sunny California morning when Emily and I sat down at breakfast at Mom 2.0 next to a very cool (and totally adorable) public relations professional named Tanya. We hit it off and after a phone call a week later, I found myself agreeing to take part in another super-glue inspired escapade. That’s right, Super Glue: the Sequel. But this time, with a Super (see what I did there?) Hero to my Dummy in Distress: LocTite!!

The first project I tackled with LocTite: Sophie’s hair flowers. There were a few that I’d left in my purse that came off the clip and one that Minnie Mouse tried to escape from.

For this project, I chose LocTite’s All-Purpose GO2 Glue. Fixing hair-bows seems pretty all-purpose to me, plus it is extra-durable and shock resistant, which are two attributes necessary to exist on my daughter’s head. Just sayin’. It worked perfectly! The bottle design made it impossible for me to get it on my fingers during the application.

After 30 minutes, the hair clips were totally set and fixed. It’s been about 3 weeks since I fixed them, Sophie’s worn them each a couple of times, and they are all still in perfect shape. Yay!

For my next trick, I decided to attempt to fix Sophie’s very favorite board game – the one I had previously tried (and failed) to fix with cheap-o super glue. It totally did not work at all on the board game but it DID totally glue my fingers together because it was such a mess to apply! This game is special to me because it’s the second game she ever really loved and was instrumental in her speech therapy progress. So I really wanted to see it fixed up and play-able again.

I decide to fix it on video for you so you could actually SEE how quick and easy it was to do with LocTite’s Extra Time Control Super Glue! Check it out!

I know in the video I said I’d let the game sit for 20 minutes, but I got a little impatient, sooo…these pictures were taken only FIVE minutes later!

Sophie was THA-RILLED when she came down to breakfast the next morning and found her fixed game sitting at her place!

Sophie loves this game! — Happy girl, ready to play!

I have to say my experience with LocTite was more than…wait for it…SUPER. It was awesome! Definitely the most successful super glue experience I’ve ever had. I love that I could just exactly the right type for the specific projects I was working on, and I love how EASY it was to apply. No drips, spills, messes, or mishaps.

In short, LocTite is Jenny-proof! Next time you’ve got something you REALLY need to fix, don’t waste your time or money on anythign else. Pick up some LocTite!

Thanks for the fix (and all the future fixes!), LocTite, and thanks for supporting Mommin’ It Up!

June 20, 2013June 21, 2013

Summer Style

It’s been kind of cool so far this June, so I haven’t quite gotten into FULL summer-style mode yet. However, I am enjoying wearing some of my new end-of-the-season-purchase jeans for a little longer than usual! Even though I’ve got all kids here at home with me and we’re running around everywhere, I still like to look put together. Here’s some of the looks I’ve pulled together so far this summer. What do you think? What are your favorite ways to accessorize when it’s HOT out?

I wore this casual but cute outfit for Sophie's field trip to a local arboretum. — I wore this casual but cute outfit for Sophie’s field trip to a local arboretum.

I was happy to have a special occasion to dress up for - her kindergarten graduation! — I was happy to have a special occasion to dress up for – her kindergarten graduation! Oh my, how I love a patterned shoe! And polka dots on the cardi!

I love wearing gray anytime of the year. It doesn't have to be drab - dress it up with the right accessories! — I love wearing gray anytime of the year. It doesn’t have to be drab – dress it up with the right accessories!

I finally got a day warm enough for a tank and shorts! When it's too hot for a scarf or necklace, I like to wear a detailed or patterned tank like this one. — I finally got a day warm enough for a tank and shorts! When it’s too hot for a scarf or necklace, I like to wear a detailed or patterned tank like this one. And a printed shoe doesn’t hurt!

Here's another outfit where a little decor on a shoe goes a long way. Simple yet anything but boring! — Here’s another outfit where a little decor on a shoe goes a long way. Simple yet anything but boring!

Now that the end of June is nearing, I’m finally able to get out some of my simple summer skirts, too! Stay tuned for some more summer style when it gets HOT in July!

June 19, 2013June 19, 2013

Auto-Pilot isn’t always the safest setting

You may have heard me a time or two on this blog complaining or worrying about summer – the season when I have all my kids under my feet 24/7 and I get a little crazy. Well, this summer so far, we are doing GREAT! Better than ever before. I am committed to having fun with my kids and we are staying really active. But one result of this is that I am very distracted. My meal planning has tanked and so has my housework routine – dinner is sometimes late or hastily thrown together, my crock pot has failed to be started several times, and laundry is typically done the night before we need to wear it!

My routine is definitely not on auto-pilot. And you know what? That’s actually a good thing. Because sometimes when you’re in a routine and you’re rocking and rolling, you can forget about the little things that make your routine work, or you can put convenience ahead of safety without even realizing it. But what I really want to do is to make safety a natural part of my household routines. For instance, wearing a seat belt for safety in the car is automatic for me – I don’t even think twice about it, I just do it. I’d love to be that safety-minded about my routines inside the house as well.

For the next six months, Emily and I are proud to be working with the American Cleaning Institute to spread the message about laundry routine safety. (I know, right, domestic *geniuses* like us working with the ACI?? Not funny at all.) As I’m sure you’ve experienced, laundry products have recently changed for the better with the advent of single-load liquid laundry packets. I LOVE them! They are so! very! convenient! Just toss it in and voila! No measuring, no spills…love.

The thing is that these packets are amazing when used properly, but can be dangerous in the hands of curious kids – they get into everything! And we know these products are intended to be used by adults. That’s why it’s imperative if you use these products in your home to store them safely away from kids as soon as you get them in the house. Find a space that is either locked up or out of kids’ reach and store them there.

I’ve made some changes in my own home in this regard recently. After most grocery runs, it was my habit to leave the laundry detergent by our basement door (laundry is in the basement in our house) until the next time I went down. As Jonah became more active and sneaky, I realized this wouldn’t work any more. At two years old, he can get open the “safety gate” we have across our kitchen, so as soon as the laundry packets enter the house, I take them downstairs and store the container up high – just in case the little booger tries to sneak into the basement sometime for his next trick.

laundry supplies storage — My basement laundry storage. Not glamorous, but safe! I have to stand on my tiptoes to get the packets down.

To encourage laundry-doers like us with young children around, the American Cleaning Institute has a few tips to keep in mind and to insert into your laundry routine.

Out of Reach and Out of Sight – Don’t give those kiddos a chance to get into those single-load laundry packets!
Label Lessons – Keep those packets in their original packaging to avoid misuse.
Eye on the Prize – Focus on your task when you are doing laundry. Do it away from young kiddos to avoid distractions that could lead to a mishap.
Safe Handling is KEY – Know exactly how to use single-load laundry packts. Don’t let kids handle them, don’t puncture them or pull them apart, and keep them dry until they go in the wash – they’ll dissolve when wet!
Don’t wait, pack it up – Close the single-load laundry packets as soon as you are done with them.
Re-use = misuse – Don’t ever re-use single load liquid laundry packet containers for any reason. Especially not something that is intended for human consumption.

In short, these things are highly concentrated. Treat these packets just like you would any other common household cleaning product. Keep them stored safely away from your kids and use them correctly! And always have Poison Control’s phone number easily accessible (a good rule of thumb no matter what!). Here it is if you need it: 1-800-222-1222.

Emily and I are excited about working with the ACI and helping parents like us to develop strategies to keep their cleaning routines convenient and their families safe! What are some of the safety measures you use with laundry products in your home?