Karie Herring Archives - Page 26 of 27

May 12, 2009April 15, 2018

Not Getting It….

I love my moms that dropped by to share their comments about Mother’s Day Sucks! But I have to say that some people are NOT getting the message. I wasn’t bagging on Mother’s Day, I wasn’t saying that my day sucked, I am not that negative. I am a realist…which is why most people dislike me, I give you everything you wanted without a big red bow, without the sugar, just raw, pure, unadulterated slap you in the face good ‘ol honesty *UPDATE There is no drama in honesty, if there is…well then the saying IS true…..ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE.

Here is the deal with Mother’s Day. You moms, and you know who you are, that go around telling everyone what a “Joy joy wonderful” day you had are full of it! Yup you are grade A, 100% full of minutiae and I will tell you why before you stop following me or leave me a nasty comment that I will leave for ALL to see. You moms are settling. You are settling for ONE lousy ass day for people to treat you like you are special, to appreciate you, to tell you endlessly that they love you. WHY THE HELL DO YOU ALLOW THIS ONLY ON ONE DAY? And then brag about what a singularly wonderful day you had and then the rest suck a goats ear. I say you are settling.

You are settling for less when you deserve more. You deserve to be told at least once a day, once a week, or once every 12 hours that you are appreciated. If you are not being told this or your husband and or children are looking at you like you are speaking Greek then go on strike. If you are not being TOLD everyday at least that you are appreciated then quit. In all honesty quit your job. At a real job you are told you are appreciated, you get a paycheck. The paycheck of being a mom and being a stay at home mom at that is being told you are appreciated.

Some of you are arguing saying “Well I know they appreciate me.” Great, so why not tell you more or more often for that matter. Why do we settle for one day, maybe two a year to receive flowers. Do different flowers not bloom year round? Can you not buy a Hallmark card anytime and anywhere for that matter? Can you not tell me on more than just one day a year how much I am appreciated?

I used to get so angry with DH because I would power clean my house, where you could eat off the floors like they were the finest wood ever laid and my stainless steel was so clean you could use the appliances as mirrors, and then he would just leave clothes, dishes, and whatever strewn everywhere and completely destroy my masterpiece. I thought I am going to quit…to hell with cleaning. But I cannot do that. Why not? I am a clean control freak, I am so OCD about cleaning. I mean I venture into the area around the toilet to clean that no man has gone before….and I do mean no man. If my man went there I know I would get more appreciation as he would see the schtuff I put up with for cleaning, can you say HazMat?

So I finally yelled at him and he asked what exactly I wanted. To be honest I wasn’t sure at the time, but then I was sure. I wanted appreciation. I wanted to be appreciated for the hard work I do around the house. I don’t mind hard work at all, cleaning, yard work, those are all my muse for blog content in addition to the kids. I can putter at my work and think quietly in my head, taking note, and then I am able to look at what I accomplished. And the victory is even sweeter when someone tells me “Wow, looks great babe. Thank you, we appreciate you.” Those few words make every day a great day. I don’t need a pedicure, or a luncheon, flowers, or a card, while they are appreciated I don’t need and or want them. I love the daily appreciation, love, and respect from the everyday and not just on Mother’s Day.

For you Mom’s that had an average day and nothing spectacular, that’s okay. Accept this. I have lived long by this “Expect the worst and hope for the best” that way I am never disappointed or let down. Especially on days like Mother’s Day, but I am not saying I had a craptastic day, I had a nice day, again nothing spectacular, just a really great average day. So while I didn’t have one day where I was treated like a queen, I know that everyday I am a princess who is loved and adored and always goes to bed with her prince. So ladies, here is to you for being a mom!!

A mom has the hardest job on Earth. You are appreciated, you are loved, and you are special, EVERYDAY not just Mother’s Day.

May 1, 2009September 13, 2015

Dr. Ron’s Doctors Best

We made it to the final day of The Five Fish “FREE” Week with Dr. Ron’s closing out the week.

I have to say that Dr. Ron’s has definitely held up to the claims thus far and believe me I am the biggest skeptic surrounding products that claim to be “all natural” and in this case preservative free.

This final product was the hardest to review, I mean really, how do you judge a multi-vitamin you have only been taking for a week. Hard to tell really. So today was my science experiment day which is why my post wasn’t written until now.

Again here is a bit about Dr. Ron and Dr. Ron’s Doctors Best, Multi-vitamin:

The supplements in this section include formulas and essential nutrients you might want to take to a desert island â€“ or want with you if youâ€™ve missed your connection at Oâ€™Hare and a winter storm blows in.
We each have our own unique nutritional needs, but all of us can benefit by including special foods and the basic nutrients they contain in our daily routines. By ensuring substantial intake of nutrients that were abundantly supplied in traditional diets, we help build lasting health and resistance to the inevitable physical and mental decline of ageing. Letâ€™s take a succinct look at each of these ten formulas and nutrients that will be detailed in the next ten pages.

Docâ€™s Best â€“ the next generation. Why take a multi? In a word, insurance. The complete spectrum of nutrients our state-of-the-art vitamin-mineral-antioxidant formula supplies protects against deficiencies. There isnâ€™t a more complete multi â€“ and Docâ€™s Best is ideal in pregnancy and for children as well.

So here is the demo straight from Dr. Ron’s site:

Brand-X

Dr. Ron’s

Now Dr. Ron’s clearly states that you can try this test yourself…..so I gave it a whirl:

As you can see I compared Dr. Ron’s to the Kirkland Brand (Costco) that we normally use and you can see the results. To make it more true to life I actually used vinegar which is mildly acidic and comparable to stomach acid as opposed to using water.

Have a great Friday and thanks for checking out Dr. Ron’s and Traba Door.

Have a great weekend!!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

April 30, 2009August 16, 2015

Dr. Ron’s Ultra Pure Body Care Body Lotion

Good Morning for Day 4 of The Five Fish “FREE” Week!

Okay so we are showcasing the talented Dr. Ron again because why…..well we love his preservative free, super smelling products, and well they were FREE to try out so why not?

Today the review is of the Dr. Ron’s Ultra Pure Body Care MSM Body Lotion in Kiwi. Sounds delish right? Well it absolutely is! Here is why I love lotion so much and wanted a preservative free lotion. I am a native of Arizona, when you think of Arizona you think Grand Canyon, Phoenix, HOT…..BLOODY HOT!! Then if you have ever met a native we always tell you, “It’s a Dry Heat.” We are truly full of it when we tell you this…..it’s so hot you can bake yourself and a batch of cookies, your lipstick can melt in seconds, and your cell phone can be cooked so fast you have to put it in the freezer just to see the screen again. Plus shorts….forget it, when you get in your car the bottoms of your thighs just took a scorching too, they are now “tender loins”! Anyway, being that the weather here is so…dry…our skin is as well requiring lots of re-hydration. Plus swimming in the summer further parches our environmental armor, which means we need more lotion. Not all lotions are exactly alike. I have used Vaseline, I have used Nivea, I have used Aquaphor, I have used Aveeno, I have used everything known to man to soften and quench my poor skin. I am lucky I don’t look like saddles bags walking my skin is so leathery. My skin also is prone to break outs, by break outs I mean all of the sudden I will have a rash……..not sure where it came from, which product, but more than likely from my lotion or perfume so I have to be safe in what I use so I don’t look like a spotted red leopard.

If you don’t know Dr. Ron, check him out and here is some background and info on the

MSM Body Lotion in Kiwi:

MSM Body Lotion – Unscented or Kiwi

A 15% MSM solution and botanical extracts in a base of apricot, almond and jojoba oils moisturizes, refreshes, restores and protects your skin.
Soothing to aching muscles and joints.
Use as a hand lotion, or after a shower or bath over the entire body.
Unscented is a gentler formulation, for those with sensitive skin.
Kiwi is scented with a higher concentration essential oils, including kiwi oil. Unscented and Kiwi, each eight ounces

When Dr. Ron sent me the shipment of all the beauty products, my first true product that I tried was the lotion. I am a lotion whore!! Ask my sister, she saw my endless collection of designer perfumes and lotions. But this lotion was like no other that I had tried. I put some on immediately after opening my bag of goodies. At first I smelled…..love the smell. A very soft, subtle, delicate hint of kiwi that isn’t overbearing where you end up smelling like a tween at a school dance or like that stripper from your DH’s, buddy’s bachelor party….girls you know the smell! Anyway, I was reveling…..and then I applied.

Hmmmm, silky, soft, smooth, glides over every inch without having to reapply more, hmm, not sticky, still damp. So I gave the lotion a bit more time so I could really gauge the effectiveness and overall results. The damp feeling subsided which was very nice, I hate feeling like I just lubed up with something, I want to feel like a woman, not someone who is attempting a circus feat. Some lotions leave this greasy, heavy residue and often all the perfumes and other additives make my skin feel weird and even more dried. Or the damp and sticky feeling stays and when you get dressed your clothes stick to you. So I liked that Dr. Ron’s lotion dried but without drying me out. So ladies and gents if you love you some lotion but don’t want to smell like you put on perfume, but you still want to smell fresh then Dr. Ron’s is the way to go.

Make it a great Thursday!! The week is almost up…tomorrow is internal review day!

April 28, 2009August 16, 2015

Day 2 "FREE" Week Product Review – Dr. Ron’s Ultra Pure Body Care Body Scrub

Here we are Day 2 of the Five Fish “FREE” Week!

Alright so I have lots to show this week courtesy of Dr. Ron. He was so generous to provide all these wonderful items to try out!! So in addition to shampoo and conditioner we have body scrub.

Now scrubs can be a bit precarious because of their dual action. First of all scrubs scrub, they exfoliate all the dead cells and eliminate the free radicals looming on our skin. Then the scrubs cleanse, leaving our skin feeling fresh and supple. However, some scrubs have the harsh chemicals and rather than leaving your skin soft, supple, and refreshed, your skin in left barren and dry and literally exposed.

You know about Dr. Ron and his pioneering of these fantastic beauty products, so here is the info on his body scrub straight from his website and his catalog:

MSM Body Scrub

Jojoba beads with crushed Apricot Seeds and Walnut Shell Powder creates an invigorating whole-body treatment. Peppermint oil, a natural deodorizer, makes the skin feel cool and fresh. Eight ounces.

Now I have to say again, I love me some beauty products!!! I mean I have tried St. Ives, Dermalogica, the whole gamut of beauty scrubs and this one was like lightning. The peppermint leaves you feeling more than cool and fresh, my skin was tingling almost as if an electric current was running across it after I had applied and rinsed. The scent is super invigorating with a soft citrus scent, apricot, and the eye awakening, get your blood moving scent of peppermint. I mean my body felt like my mouth had after a good cleaning and gargle of mouthwash. I was jazzed and energized and ready to take on the day. But I do have to admit that the tingle is something to get used to. While I am all about a sensual feeling and experiencing all things new the peppermint was interesting, especially when the temperature outside is 90 degrees and you have the air conditioning on in the house and you have the peppermint to add……interesting. I did feel like my skin was very warm and then cool, much like Icy Hot or Bengay, but curiously wonderful and like I said, leaving me feeling jazzed. Be sure to check out Dr. Ron, let him know that Karie of The Five Fish sent you and check out all of his wonderful products, remember he also has many many other products not listed in his catalogs and he gives private consults! How fantastic is the man who offers us preservative free!!

Make it a great Tuesday and be sure to check back tomorrow for a

look inside a preservative free home makeover!!

April 27, 2009August 16, 2015

Day 1 "FREE" Week Product Review – Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure Body Care, Shampoo and Conditioner

Welcome to Day 1 of The Five Fish “FREE” Week.

Today we are going to explore the preservative free products of Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure Body Care. You might be asking how can body care products such as shampoo and conditioner possibly have preservatives. Well I wondered as well and began to research and found that almost every shampoo on the market has this #1 nasty ingredient, ready, “SODIUM LAUREL (LAURYL) SULFATE”.

Okay, so I know you are wondering what this compound mineral is in our hair products. Sodium laurel sulfate is a cheap detergent and is what makes our shampoos as sudsy as they are. You know what I mean, that great foaming action that makes us believe our hair is getting so clean…WRONG! In fact sodium laurel sulfate is an irritant and is a carcinogen…yup washing your hair can cause cancer, who would have thought. The second preservative is paraben which prevents bacteria and fungal growth in almost all beauty products, again another irritant, allergenic, and carcinogen.

So I came about researching this because I have been trying to find organic or as close to organic as possible for my family. Buying organic products not only reduces our overall carbon footprint, but the products are absolutely superior for your overall health. Big G has eczema so I have to be careful with what I use on his skin or he is a mess and takes months to clear him up. The Squids are also new babies, but have so far (so good!) been a-ok with standard OTC products. I, on the other hand, I have to use glycerin type washes or my skin is a mess as well.

The staff and Dr. Ron sent me the MSM Shampoo and MSM Moisturizing Conditioner. Here is some information straight from the Dr. Ron website about the products and about Dr. Ron:

MSM Shampoo

With herbs, nutrients and essential oils, MSM strengthens hair and restores elasticity. A rich supply of mucopolysaccharides and protein in our conditioners leaves hair soft, light and shiny. We avoid the use of sodium laurel sulfate, a cheap, harsh detergent often derived from petroleum and disguised in pseudo-natural products with the phrase â€œcomes from coconuts.â€

Soft, shiny hair results from superior nutrition â€“ but our great shampoos and conditioners will bring out your hairâ€™s natural qualities like no other products.
Our unique blend of oils, herbal extracts, and nutrients strengthens hair, restores elasticity and repairs split ends.
MSM Shampoo contains a rich concentration of sulfur in the form of MSM for maximum benefits

MSM Moisturizing Conditioner

For dry or damaged hair, our MSM Moisturizing Shampoo and MSM Moisturizing Conditioner have an extra high concentration of essential oils. Eight ounces each.
Blended with coconut and olive oils, herbal extracts and nutrients, essential oils have exceptional moisturizing qualities and help restore beautiful luster to your hair.
Essential oils contain characteristic plant aromas that leave a gentle fragrance and help hair stay fresh between washings.

Here is a little about Dr. Ron, straight from his website:

Dr. Ronâ€™s Ultra-Pure began in 2000 to provide our patients with the purest and most effective nutrients, formulas and special foods. Many other people now use Dr. Ronâ€™s products. We thank all of you, especially members of the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, two organizations that are doing so much good work to further accurate understanding of nutrition. We are committed to providing the finest supplements to complement traditional diets.
We Source Materials from America, New Zealand and Europe
Most of our source materials are from America. We secure organs and glands from free range, grass fed New Zealand animals raised without pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. High-vitamin cod liver oil is imported from Norway and meets the strictest standards of purity. Other materials are occasionally sourced in Europe, Japan and Korea, depending on quality and availability of supplies. Contamination of source materials for supplements and pharmaceuticals in recent years has led us to avoid sources with potential problems. Careful and selective sourcing of raw materials provides an extra measure of safety. You may be confident that all Dr. Ronâ€™s Ultra-Pure products contain only and exactly the nutrients listed prominently on the labels.
The Ultra-Pure Promise of Purity, Quality, Potency and Value
Dr. Ronâ€™s Ultra-Pure products are designed and manufactured by a team of supplements professionals and health care providers with extensive clinical experience in natural medicine. Source materials are carefully tested for purity and potency. Many of our products, including Docâ€™s Best and other innovative formulas, New Zealand organs and glands, and high-vitamin Norwegian cod liver oils, are unique. In our formulas, we combine synergistic ingredients at optimal doses to create maximally effective products. We use no lubricants, fillers, binders, coatings, flowing agents, or other added ingredients of any kind. Because we use only the pure nutrients, our supplements achieve maximum absorption, and are truly hypoallergenic.

Ron Schmid, ND, has practiced naturopathic medicine since 1981. He served for two years as Chief Medical Officer and Clinic Director at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. Ellen Triplett , Lac, has a Masterâ€™s degree in Chinese Medicine.
Dr. Ron is the author Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine and The Untold Story of Milk. He is on the honorary board of the Weston A. Price Foundation and has written for Wise Traditions, the quarterly journal of the Foundation.

You must be itching to know……how did a “free” shampoo and conditioner measure up? Well I have tried a lot of salon shampoos/conditioners, claimed “organic” shampoos/conditioners and I have to say that Dr. Ron’s is by far the most enjoyable and fabulous product I have ever used. Like I said I have used the expensive salon shampoos, and we all know how our hair feels after leaving the salon…like silk…..well I got that same feeling from this shampoo and conditioner.

The best part was the smell. I am such a smell oriented person, I mean I smell all of my produce, meats, etc at the store before I buy it, so when I cracked open the package and my hair smelled like I was rolling in herbs I was in heaven. It was clean without feeling stripped and my hair smelled fresh without the harsh smell of added perfumes, and I had to get used to the little to no sudsing since the nasty emulsifiers and detergents aren’t in these products.

Then I conditioned. Mind you I have the worst hair known to man. I have chemically treated it since I was oh…..8 (I grew up in the 80’s, perms were so HOT back then, I was rockin‘!) I color it and then add that I live in the driest state of the union, Arizona, so I swim half the year which wreaks even more havoc on my hair. So I have to use a lot of conditioner, anti-frizz, and smoothing products. With Dr. Ron’s I didn’t have to use my daily routine of “Tame the Beast” smoother’s. The conditioner has a wonderful citrus scent that energized me in the shower and was a great morning pick-me-up. Plus when I rinsed my hair didn’t feel just soft, but smooth and silky and stayed that way even after I blow-dried my hair. Most products leave your hair feeling weighed down or they rinse out immediately leaving your hair barely conditioner or feeling repaired. All day….no fly aways, no tangles, no dry feeling, just smooth, soft, manageable, touchable, play with my hair type hair. I am in love!

Be sure to head on over to Dr. Ron’s and check out all of his wonderful beauty and health products. In addition to all over well being he does offer consultations! How awesome, get a consultation on how to live an all around healthy life. Also if you go to buy his products like I am going to, be sure you let him know you found his product review on The Five Fish and that Karie Herring of The Five Fish sent you. Thank you again Dr. Ron for sharing this wonderful product with me and my family!

Make it a great Monday!

March 10, 2009August 16, 2015

Sing Us A Song….

The lyrics are ones that pretty much everyone knows. At least I hope you know the lyrics and tune to the ever famous Billy Joel song “Piano Man”. Billy Joel is by far one of my favorite artists, as I have so many.

Seems my youngest son has joined me in my love for Billy Joel. The soothing sounds of the ivory keys on the piano seem to set him at ease……or maybe the sound of Billy’s voice touches his soul, I am not quite sure.

One day while driving on the freeway with Pickles Magoo fussing I tried everything from the Binky, a blanket, a bottle, you name it I tried it and the poor boy wouldn’t quit. So I couldn’t handle the screaming and thought I would turn on the music and turn the volume up a little louder to help drown the crying. (I know…bad mommy….but we have all been there at least once) Little did I know that the musical genius permeating from my speakers would put the boy in a DEAD SILENCE!

“Scenes from an Italian restaurant” came through the speakers and the Pickles Magoo was hypnotized! No one believed me….and I mean no one! Until one day when my mother was riding in the car with me on our way home from Sun City that she became a believer. (Cue Monkeez music…HA HA) Since those moments I have been trying to capture the elusive actions of Pickles Magoo as he is a fuss budget and then suddenly is in the trance of the Piano Man himself. The best I could do was the other day on our way home from our trip to Costco. Unfortunately the picture from my cell phone is less than desirable, but from my perspective you can see Pickles Magoo fighting the inevitable sleep creeping in and just seconds before I turned on the camera and the radio he was screaming as if someone was pulling him limb from limb. Enjoy what you can see…and hear of the Piano Man.

October 18, 2008September 13, 2015

Parents and Children

We all say it as potential parents. We say this to ward off the evil wrongs done to us by our parents. We say it in spite at times. We all say that we will treat all of our children equally and with fairness. But really? Do we?

NO!

Not one person can say that they treat all of their children with fairness and equality, unless of course you only have one child. In that case of a single child, no other children are vying for your attention, affection, and approval. If you can say you treat your children equally I stand here telling you…You are a liar! Each child, probably with some difference in age, will require different needs to be fulfilled and honestly you feel differently for each child which by human nature results in a different outward display. This is not a flaw, just a stated fact. I have viewed this behavior by my own parents.

True equality happened to me with multiples. In all seriousness. One Mommy, Two babies and they are both crying….which one do you pick up? If you pick up one the other is still crying and visibly more upset because you picked up his or her twin and vice versa. What do you do? In my case I picked up both. I breast fed both at the same time, changed them at the same time, dressed them at the same time, bathed them at the same time, spoon fed them at the same time (and I am not ambidextrous by any means), everything happened to them at the same time. Not only did this allow for some serious time management for my oldest, but allowed me to sleep and accomplish a few things.
Now the tough part will be their needs as older children since one is a boy and one is a girl. However, I also have big G to think about too. The other day was a tough one as a mother as I told him that the toys he was hiding were for the babies, he could play with the toys, but he had to play with the toys with the babies. He hated this! So I asked him if he wanted to be a baby and he told me NO. Okay, case closed, so I then explained the difference. I also made sure that I spent equal amount of time playing with him as I did the other two so that we all were spending time together. I also made sure that he got his special time alone with me just as the other two do. I have to say that being truly equal is the most time consuming, emotional experience that happens to a parent. Normal human instinct is telling you to go with the flow of the three kids and tend to the one that needs the most attention at that time….well, who dictates that? I think as parents we have been trained that way and in the end each, child is put into a role for life!

My oldest is my oldest by time, cannot deny that. However, G is not my babysitter, G is not the babies surrogate parent, G is not responsible for his siblings, G will not be put in the perfectionist spot of most oldest children. I say this knowing that my son had obvious flaws that I love, I always want him to do his best and when he gets older he will not be the automatic babysitter. If he WANTS to baby-sit he can, but he won’t be expected to. As for the twins, I will always do my damnedest to treat them as individuals but they will be loved and treated as equally as G all the time. Alrighty….enough of that heavy stuff….off to a fun rant of sorts.

October 16, 2008September 13, 2015

Mommy Free Time

I have some Mommy Free Time all day today and probably some of tomorrow or could be all day tomorrow…..Film at Eleven. (Happy Dance!)

My boys (DH and G) are in Albuquerque for the next few days. Chad has some business there so he is visiting customers and staying with his folks. Yesterday he decided that maybe he should take Grant so that he could see his cousins and have a mini-vacation from me. Though I think the mini-vacation (mini-stay-cation) is for me. Don’t get me wrong….I love my G dearly, he is my oldest, but man…..sometimes you need a break from your kids. So they headed off onto the open road and made it to Albuquerque late last night.

I, on the other hand enjoyed a night with just the twins. Not total free time….but guess what? THE TWINS CAN’T TALK!!! Or change channels, or bitch, or moan, or tell me to shut-up, or tell me no, just cry and whine because they are babies. So refreshing! The squids and I got dinner last night, watched the debates which were pathetic…..like watching a couple of teenage girls fight about gossip, did a few little projects, got all the laundry done, all the dishes are DONE, did some mending of clothes and odds and ends. Needless to say I had a quiet, productive evening! Not to mention I have NO laundry to do except the clothes on my back and the squids and the only dirty dish in the house is my coffee mug. PLUS!!!! I have a hair appointment today and my wonderful Mommy is coming to spend time with the Squids and I get girly pamper time. Loving my day! But tomorrow I am sure I will miss the boys terribly and hope they come home…..but for now…..I can take a nice deep relaxing breath!!

October 12, 2008November 3, 2016