Just say NO to tampons & find out how to win a sample pack of Instead Softcups

I think everyone tries to be green in some way. And I think we all can do better. I know I can. I know before I made the switch to Instead Softcups I used Playtex Tampons. And never really thought about that pink applicator I threw in the garbage after a few seconds of use. I mean seriously think about it. You use it for 1-3 seconds, and in the garbage it goes. YOU never see it again. But it really never goes away.

Tampons come with ridiculous amounts of packaging, which most of it is non-recyclable. So being the researcher I am I decided to research how long it takes a tampon to decompose.

 Well since tampons have only been around for 70 years there's no way of knowing exactly the time frame. But researchers are saying 300-500 years!


(Picture source)


I know some of you are thinking that the cups are just disgusting (see pic above) and you could never use them. That's what I hear often from women.


Some women are actually flushing these in the toilet. Now if they are flushed and end up in the ocean chances are your plastic applicator will be ingested by some animal.


 Think about this


(picture source)

They should never end up here.


Or they may be washed up on a beach.

Now that is disgusting!

Who wants to be on vacation with your family and see plastic applicators everywhere?


(picture source)

Lets look at the money part...

                                           so lets say I use 2 a day for 5 days that's 10 a month.
10 x 12 months = 120 a year vs 300-400 tampons you would use in a year.

It may be different for you, it would depend on length of your period and flow




A Box of 24 cost $10 on their website. That would last me 2 menstrual cycles.

Also right now CVS is having a sale on the Instead Softcups, 20% off. Box of 14 for $6.39

*It is cheaper to order straight from the company, right here. Shipping is cheaper. :)

And who doesn't like to save money?

(picture source)

*I am going to give you the chance to win a sample pack all you have to do is go to Instead Softcups website , look around and learn something about them. Then come back & leave me a comment on what you learned about the company or their products.

I will use Random.org to choose winner, on Sunday January 8, 2012 around 12PM est.

Now Go!

Disclaimer:I have been provided compensation from Evofem. All opinions are honest, and 100% mine.

Please read my Disclosure Policy

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Just say NO to tampons & find out how to win a sample pack of Instead Softcups

I am missing this...

and I bet he is too

I know these 2 are

  and surely this little boy is.

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I am missing this...

Period...Holiday...Parties, Oh my!

I have been using Instead Softcups for about 6 months now. Oh how I wish I had found out about these oh 10 years ago when they first came out.

Anyways, it never fails If I'm on vacation, or there's a holiday coming up, or some other important thing I have to do, I am on my period. Like I need something else to deal with!

I usually start at the end of the month around 23rd-26th. So what does that mean this month?....UGH!!! yes you guessed it, Christmas.

 But I know this year is going to be so different. Why? Well now that I only use Instead Softcups I don't cramp as much, I don't have to visit the bathroom every few hours because Softcups can be worn up to 12 hours. On my heavy day I can wear them 8-10 hours before changing. Yes 8-10 hours. Isn't that a good enough reason to try them?

I won't even have to pack a purse full of plastic applicators just to get me through the day. I will be able to sit relax watch my children open gifts and enjoy all the drama and gossip my family will have this year. :)

Who would ever want to miss that?
( all families do have drama, right?)

How great would that be for you? No more running to the bathroom every 2,3,4 hours. Not just during holidays but anytime. I'm busy enough with 4 children. Who has time for all those bathroom breaks?

 I surely don't. Let's leave those for the kids.

Let me know if you have tried them. I have talked to a few on twitter, and they were going to try them. Would love to know what you think.

**Don't forget you can go right here to get a sample pack to try before you buy. And if you wanna know where to buy these check out the store locator. I have seen them at CVS, Walgreens, Wal Mart, Rite Aid, and Kroger.


Look for the pink or


   purple box.

 



Disclaimer:I have been provided compensation from Evofem. All opinions are honest, and 100% mine.
Please read my Disclosure Policy◦

Period...Holiday...Parties, Oh my!

My 1st 5QF

Mama M. does this 5QF.  This is my 1st time participating in this. I figured she was nice enough to use my question (#2).  I should do this. So here we go....

1. Do you have a go to song that always puts you in a good mood?

I am not a music person at all. If its not Barney, The Wiggles or the Imagination Movers I'm not listening to it. 
So the song that puts me in a good mood is....
 "If all the raindrops
were lemon drops and gumdrops
oh what a rain that would be
standing outside with my mouth open wide
 ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah."






2. Are you a real Christmas tree kinda person or do you go with a real fake one?

Here's my question. Well we are actually going to get a REAL tree this year, going to a Christmas tree farm and cutting it down ourselves. Or atleast try. We have always had the....(cough cough) real fake tree with the pre-lit lights and all. Which was all great the 1st 3 years. All the lights actually worked, it wasn't full of dust...But I gave that old dust filled 9 1/2 foot tree away.
I can not wait for a real tree, a tree from the United States, and not one MADE IN CHINA.


3. What are you thankful for?

 My Family, Our Health, My husband working so I can homeschool our children.


4. Which fashion fad from the past do you wish you could wear today?

I'm not one to follow fashion. If I like it I really don't care if its fashionable.
But I don't want to see the MC Hammer baggy pants ever again, or the tight rolled jeans. I can't remember any others. I prefer T-shirts & jeans. :)



5. Do you wait until the "low fuel" light comes on before you fill up the gas tank?

lol this one is funny. I always wait until my light comes on, but then I know I can drive 25 more miles. I have been known to pull in the garage and have 2 miles until empty. So my mad husband has to find the lawn mower gas tank thing and put me some in so I can make it to the gas station. :) He <3s when I do this.

Whoa! I did it, and the kids aren't even up yet.

Time to sing.......


"If all the raindrops

were lemon drops and gumdrops
oh what a rain that would be
standing outside with my mouth open wide
ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah."


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My 1st 5QF

Time for a Boden Sale

Finally I have been waiting for this sale.Right now.... Boden 25% off plus Free Shipping and Returns! Theres a few things I wanna get the kids like this super warm jacket for Cain.


And these comfy sweatpants
 

Oh and this cute little dress for Carly


And this shirt for Camlin


I wish this shirt was still available but its gone :(


Anyways I've got to go place my order before all the sizes I need are gone!!

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Time for a Boden Sale

Day 1 Hilton Head

Oh where has the time gone? It seems to fly by for me. So a couple months ago we went to Hilton Head for a week. So much fun.

I absolutely LOVE the beach and wanna move.

And as you can see the kids had a blast

...running from the ocean waves

...walking nice & slow taking it all in

...holding on to Daddys leg,1st time at the beach

....playing in the sand 

...sitting in the ocean and having the wave splash on him 

....running  

..and the biggest kid of all

...can't seem to keep his shorts on

...hmm like father like son

...even putting sand on your feet 

...building sand castles with your Uncle Ethan 

...definetly like father like son here 

...hair blowing in the wind 

...and thats all for now. :) 



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Day 1 Hilton Head

Our Trip to Savannah

We loaded up and left around 11 Friday morning. The kids,my mom and I made our way to Savannah. We had lunch at Chick Fil A, and finally made it to our hotel where we unloaded a few things then decided to go to Savannah. Not somewhere I care to go back. Well maybe when the kids are older. So not stroller friendly. Camlin likes to walk but the sidewalks are small. Cars,and trolleys go up and down the road so close to where you walk and so fast. It was not fun for me at all. Shops are not stroller friendly.I couldn't get my stroller in some of the doors.

 We liked seeing the boats but thats about it.

After Savannah we headed back to our nasty smelly hotel and waited for Scott & Ethan to get there. They got there around midnight. And finally I was able to fall asleep.

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Our Trip to Savannah

Are your children too young for PG-13 movies?

Scott & I went to see this Transformers Dark of the Moon on Saturday. I really don't care for movies like this but it was pretty good. Anyways there were a pretty good amount of children in the theater. Even under the age of 13. Although its PG-13 some parents think its ok to take their 5,6,7 year olds. I personally think it should be rated R. The little boy sitting behind us was no older 6, he was crying at one point. I even mentioned to Scott I can see a Dad taking his child to these types of movies, but a Mother! 

This child should have been watching Winnie the Pooh.

Parents are suppose to protect their children. Not expose them to violence.

I don't understand it at all.

I think It's pretty clear why this movie is NOT for children....
"Transformers : Dark of the Moon" is rated PG 13 because of 'intense prolonged sequences of sci-fi action violence , mayhem and destruction , and for language , some sexuality and innuendo' 

Watch part of the movie here

Would you allow your children to watch this?

~GROWN UP, ADULT MOVIES are for GROWN UPS and ADULTS.

You're children are growing up fast enough why expose them to the violence at such an early age?

What part of that don't parents understand.

Don't wonder why little Johnny is being so violent after taking him to see this.

When they turn 7,8,9 are they going to be allowed to watch rated R? age 12,13 rated X? When will they be allowed to drink, have alcohol?

If you ever wonder about if a movie is suitable for your child/children. I would recommend visiting Common Sense Media. ◦

Are your children too young for PG-13 movies?

How I organize school work..

Heres how I organize the boys school work for the week. I use 2 pocket folders nothing fancy.
I use the same color for each day for both kids, its easier to grab same colors in a hurry. (not that I'm ever in a hurry).

I write the kids names in the bottom corner of each folder.

On the inside To Do: on left side Completed on the right. The boys can open it up see what needs to be done, once done they move it to the other side. This prevents "am I done?", "how much more?"....

I store all the folders in a tub, each child has their own. If there are books that we are going to read they go in here. Also any other things we are going to need for the week.

I store the workbooks, books, supplies in these storage drawers. Each child has 2, thats 6 drawers each. Labeled as Math, Language Arts,Phonics, Science, History, and Handwriting. I still have things to put away this past week we got Science & History so all thats on top and in between~ the mess!

I always get their stuff ready on Sunday for the week. So there thats how I do it.

The kids are enrolled in the K-12 program. I love it!!

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How I organize school work..

Tampons vs Cups

Alright you may not know there ARE other options than just tampons when its that time of month. Other than pads, there are different cups.

Have you ever heard about Instead Soft Cups or The Diva Cup?

I have heard about The Diva Cup before and have wanted to try it but didn't want to spend the money on it and then end up not liking it. So when I heard there were reusable cups I figured I could try those 1st and if I like them I can get a Diva Cup. Or enter to win one here, which I'm hoping I will {fingers crossed}.

Ok so anyways, I bought Instead soft cups Monday at CVS. As soon as I got in the van, I opened them. I had to see what they looked like
 My first thought was, OMG! they are big. But hey I have had 4 children. So got home and got the directions out and put the 1st one in. Not to difficult, but something new you have to get use to doing. I noticed a huge difference in cramping. I always cramped ALOT with tampons. I don't know why I just did. Always felt relieved when it was out. The cups are totally different. I had no cramping. Its hard to explain. It was just different.

Ok so after 8 hours it was time to take it out.You can wear them up to 12 hours which is another reason I wanted to try them. Im not one wanting to change my tampon every 2-3 hours. Ok so I got my directions and it was not easy. It probably took me 10 minutes before I figured it out. I kept thinking to myself, what if I can't get it out.Then what.

But I did. Just something new to learn I guess.

Yesterday was alot easier, and today I'm a PRO. And I am hooked.

Bye Bye Tampons!!  You are not crampin up my life anymore.

~What is SoftCup?
Softcup is a flexible cup that is worn internally, around your cervix. It collects, rather than absorbs menstrual flow. It's hypo-allergenic, latex-free and completely safe when used as directed.

~ Why should I try it?
Instead Softcup is great for busy women, or women who just don't want to have to think about changing a pad or a tampon every few hours.


-You can wear Softcup for up to 12 hours
-Softcup is comfortable during swimming and sports
-Softcup eliminates menstrual odor, since the menstrual flow isn't exposed to air
-Softcup loves making love . . .you can wear Softcup during intercourse for less messy sex on your period
-Softcup is comfortable—you can't even feel it once it's inserted
-Most women typically use fewer Softcups than tampons or pads because of the long wear-time
-Softcups have no wings, no strings. . . just freedom!

~Safer than tampons too
Safety is important when it comes to your reproductive health. Instead Softcup has been cleared for the market by the FDA and has been on the market for more than 10 years. Softcup is made entirely of hypoallergenic, non-toxic, latex-free, non-irritating material.

In more than 10 years and 100 million Softcups sold, the Softcup has never had a reported incidence of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). TSS is believed to be caused by the toxin-producing strains of the bacterium Staphylococcus Aureus. Population studies suggest that the risk of TSS is related to tampon absorbency. The higher the tampon absorbency, the higher the risk of contracting TSS. Unlike tampons, Softcup is non-absorbent, and does not change the bacteria levels naturally present in the body.

Here is a brochure about TSS. http://you-are-loved.org/files/2011/06/YAL-TSS-Brochure.pdf

Still unsure you can order a 2 count sample pack for $2.50 here. Or go here for a $1 off coupon if you wanna go out and get them. {don't forget to use zip code 90210 for different coupons}

And to find out more information on TSS please visit http://you-are-loved.org/ 

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Tampons vs Cups

Flirty Aprons Sale 6 Days Only

I have been wanting one of these for awhile now. I think they are just so cute, and I am always getting messy in the kitchen. Right now Flirty Aprons is having a Irregular Sale These are $12.99-$14.99.
Super Cute!

So I need to choose between these-

  or or

Hurry before the cute ones are gone! Irregular Sale

Update: They all are gone except 1 style. ◦

Flirty Aprons Sale 6 Days Only