This holiday season Wet Ones is teaming up with Mama’s Little Helper to share helpful tips about staying healthy during a sometimes stressful time of year.  With many holiday parties, travel on packed airlines and trains, and more time spent in crowded malls and stores, exposure to cold germs is increased.  Catching a cold at this time of year can be debilitating to moms who have to play Santa, coordinate menus, host extra play dates when school is on break and enjoy this time of year.  Wet Ones has enlisted a Holiday Health Team to help share tips for surviving cold and flu season.

Mom Guru StacyDeBroff Advises:

Go into laundry overdrive. When a cold assault runs througha family, wash your kids’ pillowcases and sheets in very hot water – even daily, if you can.   And, if your child constantly clutches a blanket or stuffed animal, toss those in, too.

Focus on Health. Keep kids’ immune systems kicking during cough and cold season by preparing healthy meals with lots of fruits and vegetables.  By adding a chewable multivitamin each day, Moms also can help ensure children get needed vitamins.

Pay attention to pals.  Colds typically run through classrooms, so keep an eye on your child’s friends and change plans, if needed. Reschedule play dates or sleepovers so your kids reduce their exposure to coughing, sneezing friends. Head off disappointment byhelping kids understand how germs spread and reminding them of the importance of staying healthy so they can play in next week’s band concert or indoor soccer tournament.

Sleep Rules. Kids will always lobby for a later bedtime or one last story, but don’t give in during cough and cold season. Stick to nap schedules for younger kids and keep bedtimes consistent for older ones. If sleeping proves tough due to nasal congestion, prop kids up with an extra pillow or two at bedtime to sleep in a more upright position.

On the Road. Moms often find it even more challenging to keep children healthy during holiday or vacation travel times. Taking along Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes offers Moms the opportunity to clean kids’ hands frequently, as well as wipe down a restaurant counter, airplane armrest, or tray table before using.

Wipe out germs – and messes. Clean hands help prevent the spread of cough and cold germs, but kids’ daily activities often take them far away from soap and water. Wet Ones®Antibacterial Hand Wipes provide a quick, easy way to get rid of grime and kill 99.99% of the germs that cause coughs and colds. Toss them in back packs, lunch bags, the backseat of your car, school lockers– and give a stash to your child’s teacher – to keep messy, germy hands clean.

Dr. Benjamin Tanner, a microbiologist, suggests:

Practice Good Hygiene for at Least a Week After a Cold.  Cold and cold germs can be found in nasal secretions of children for two to three weeks after the onset of symptoms. That’s a long time for an unwanted guest to stick around!

Don’t touch your face. Most cold viruses are spread by contact with surfaces through “self-inoculation” when hands pick up cold viruses, and then touch the nose or eyes to start an infection. In fact, a study of kids showed that a program to discourage touching the face reducedcolds by nearly half.

Keep Your Immune System Healthy.  Studies show that maintaining a healthy body weight with proper nutrition reduces risks of infection, and also may prevent inflammation (potentially damaging immune system hyperactivity).

Keep Up on Cold and Flu Germs.  Colds are most infectious during the first two to four days people are infected.  And you can’t outrun their germs: droplets from sneezes can travel at a velocity of 45 miles per hour and cover a distance of 10 feet. Wash your hands and face regularly; when soap and water is not available use Wet Ones to kill germs onyour hands and face.

Cold Season has already hit this Mama’s household!

For the past two weeks or so my family has been passing around a nasty cold, one that has been the worst I’ve had in years!  Not being prepared for an early cold season, we were really caught off guard.  Thankfully my little guy didn’t develop asthma/breathing difficulties, as this bug stayed in his nose.  It didn’t help that he still can’t blow his nose at age four!  I was really sick and just plain wiped out from a cough that kept me up all night.  We did a lot of hand washing and running the dishwasher on santi-rinse in our attempts to get healthy.  It never even occurred to me to wash our sheets more frequently.  After reading Stacy DeBroff’s tips I immediately stripped all the beds and put on new sheets!  As I’ve written here before, I’ve been a big fan of Wet Ones for a while.  I love how portable they are, especially for road trips or even visits to the park.  I always keep a canister of Wet Ones in my car and a travel pack in my bag so that I have a wipe handy.  We will be using Wet Ones frequently, when hand washing isn’t possible, this winter season with hopes of preventing future colds in our household!

Win a Wet Ones Holiday Survival Kit!

Want a chance to win a Wet Ones Holiday Survival Kit?  Enter by leaving a comment on this blog post and share your best cold care tip, if you like.  In your Holiday Survival Kit you’ll find:

• One Wet Ones Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 40 count canister
• One Wet Ones Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 24 count singles pack
• One Wet Ones Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 15 count travel pack

RULES: There will be one winner selected from all the comments using Random.org on or about November 29, 2011 at 10:00pm EST.  The winner will be contacted via email and have 48 hours to respond to an email from Mama’s Little Helper or forfeit the prize.  Energizer Personal Care is providing the prize(s) for this promotion at no cost to me. This promotion is not being administered or sponsored in any way by Energizer Personal Care or its affiliates, but solely by Mama’s Little Helper. Any questions or comments regarding this promotion must be sent to me at Mama’s Little Helper (Diane@mamaslittlehelper.org) and not to Energizer Personal Care.  Mama’s Little Helper and EPC reserve the right to modify, suspend or terminate this contest if the Promotion is removed by the web server or is otherwise compormised by illegal acts, electronic bots, etc.

Disclosure: Mama was provided with a Holiday Survival Kit for the purposes to composing this post.  No monetary compensation was received and all opinions expressed here are my own.

This week’s Featured Mama of the Week is Jean Marie Keenan-Johnston, a mom to two little girls; one is almost four years old and the other is two. Jean Marie was employed as an eighth grade teacher at a charter school until she became disabled and was later diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  This past spring, she was also diagnosed with breast cancer.  She blogs about her life experiences with her disability and illness at We Vow for Worse or for Worse, sharing what life is like living with disabilities.  Jean Marie was gracious enough to share her story with Mama’s Little Helper despite being a few weeks post double mastectomy surgery and just days post hernia repair surgery!  She is an amazing woman and mother, and this is her story, mostly in her own words.

Jean Marie Keenan-Johnston and her daughters

Jean Marie and her husband went from being newlyweds to expectant parents in a matter of days and were very happy about it!  Starting a family was very exciting for them.  They now have two beautiful little girls who both enjoy singing, dancing and music, playing dress up and being crafty with mom.  Sharing hobbies and interests with the girls is something that Jean Marie really enjoys about being a parent.  While she would encourage them to do whatever activity they found interesting, she loves that they both enjoy craft activities, even if the youngest isn’t quite ready developmentally to participate all the time.  Being a teacher and a mom helps Jean Marie in providing educationally appropriate activities for both girls.

Being a stay at home mom due to health reasons has also been a blessing.  Jean Marie is grateful to have time at home with her girls while they are young.  She said, “it may create lots of limitations for my family when it comes to income, but I prefer to look at it as a blessing since it gives me the opportunity to watch my children enjoy their childhood and reach each and every special milestone, something I would have missed out on if I was teaching other people’s children instead.”

Regarding handling challenges as a parent, Jean Marie shared the following:

Until recently, my greatest challenge was my disability, fibromyalgia.  I was diagnosed when my daughter was eight months old, over a year after my symptoms started during my first pregnancy.  Fibromyalgia took away a lot of my independence, endurance and stamina as well as qualities that made me the kind of teacher I was proud to be, such as excellent reading comprehension, grammar and spelling, a good memory, strong organizational and problem-solving skills, and the abilities to multi-task and quickly change my course of action when the need presented itself.  As a mom, I had to find ways to do things differently.  For example, diaper changes were done only in the living room to reduce the amount of lifting that needed to be done. When my oldest was 10 months old, I was no longer able to take her (and later her sister) out without help as I was unable to get her in and out of car seats, high chairs, or strollers without difficulty. I found I was only able to drive short distances from my home. My ability to do housework was greatly affected too, and many days cooking dinner was impossible.  So my husband and I had to find ways to work around my difficulties.  Unfortunately since my husband doesn’t know how to cook very much, we relied heavily on takeout or easy-to-prepare meals on the nights I couldn’t cook, but I did my best to be sure we had lots of healthy foods in the house to balance it out.  Routines were created to work around my limitations, and we had to rely on family, friends and other helpers to help get the girls and me out of the house for fun.  It was only recently that I was able to take my oldest out with me for easy errands because she’s now old enough to help get herself in and out of the car.

Once the cognitive dysfunction set in, I realized I couldn’t keep this condition to myself.  I was starting to upset newly found friends by misspeaking, and my memory problems were affecting my relationships as well.  I didn’t want to upset others by canceling plans with little explanation.  So I made a very difficult decision to share my condition with others so they knew all the personal faults that come with it and can understand why I need to say no so often as well as why I’m the sore, tired self I become after a very busy day with them.  Some activities put me out of commission for several days, so I had to figure out what I could do and what I needed to say no to in order to be able to care for my children afterwards.

This past spring, after dealing with fibromyalgia for about 3 1/2 years, I was diagnosed with Stage 3A breast cancer.  I’ve been hospitalized three times, had three surgeries and two transfusions, and completed six cycles of chemotherapy.  I still have two surgeries ahead of me as well as six weeks of radiation that will require daily trips to the hospital.  While my chemo is finished, I still need Herceptin treatments every three weeks that will be completed next May.  I’m also starting Tamoxifen in the coming months.  Cancer has been a huge hurdle for me as a parent.  I’m lucky enough to have a great support system.  My husband is a teacher, so he was able to be available the entire summer to accompany me on my treatment appointments.  When he wasn’t available, my father took me.  This was extremely important to me because chemotherapy caused my fibromyalgia to flare badly, affecting my ability to drive even more than usual.  My mother lived at our house for days on end to care for my children and help me get through the tougher days of side effects.  Friends and family took my children for full days of play date fun or they dropped off dinners for my culinary-challenged husband.  My Facebook page has been covered with supportive comments and prayers for my recovery as well as wishes of strength for my family to get through this!  I haven’t had one day that I felt alone during this journey! However no matter how many friends and loved ones tell me I need to put myself first in this fight, as a mother it’s been probably the toughest part of this fight!  I have a very strong caregiver personality which explains my desire to go into teaching as young as fifth grade.  This whole time I have been very concerned about how my children are getting through all of this.  Their very limited social life (due to my disability) seems even more reduced.  I’ve seen evidence of their difficulty dealing with my many “disappearances” due to treatments, surgeries and doctors’ appointments in their behavior.  My oldest is still having problems completing her potty training, and my youngest has had problems at different times with separation anxiety when I leave.  But we’re all just dealing with everything the best we can, one day at a time.  Cancer can impose stress on pretty much every aspect of life…financial stresses as we deal with greater medical expenses and the need for even more help than usual; fear of the unknown as I start each new step in the treatment process; physical and emotional stresses as we all deal with the side effects of treatment, whether it be me suffering the side effects, my husband acting as my caregiver while trying to work full-time and care for our children, or my children trying to figure out as a toddler and preschooler what’s going on with Mommy and why is she still too sick to spend time with us.  Those who care about me tell me everyone else is doing just fine and I should worry about me getting better, but I don’t know how to stop worrying about those I love.  I’ve fought for over four years to attain a balance with fibromyalgia, and I’ve been unsuccessful.  Having cancer isn’t going to just magically make “balance” appear.

My fight against both cancer and fibromyalgia is far from over, but I know I’m not in this alone!!!  I am forever grateful to my husband, my parents and other family, and my friends for all the endless love and support they’ve shown me!  They’ve done everything within their power to take away added stress so I can focus on winning the fight of my life.  And they’ve been working hard to give my girls the childhood they deserve despite the obstacles Mommy’s health has imposed.  I’m very blessed, and for that I’m thankful!

Jean Marie Keenan-Johnston

Through everything medically Jean Marie is dealing with, she is still parenting her daughters to grow into healthy, strong, and kind people.  She wants her daughters to understand the importance of standing strong for oneself.  Through everything she has experienced in the past four years she said she has “learned who my real friends are, I’ve learned how to be my own advocate when it comes to finding answers, and I’ve learned I have an inner strength I never knew I had.  I knew I was strong, but I don’t think I’ve ever known the true strength and optimism I was capable of until I really had to open my eyes wide enough to see it!  I want my daughters to see how hard I fought to be well so they can know how to do the same if their lives ever call for it.  And I want my daughters to also understand why I have shared my story with others, in the hopes of showing others they’re not alone in their fight!  Just as important, I want them to see how love helps pull you through tough times and how when you love someone you do your best to stand by their side and help them find the strength they need to overcome.  While I did have a huge support system while battling cancer, there were some who I never expected to completely disappear from my life.  I want my daughters to learn that’s not acceptable…you don’t do that for people you love who depend on you.  No matter how busy you are or how tough it may seem to remain strong for them, you stand strong by the side of your friends and family when they need you.”

Thank you Jean Marie, for sharing so much insight into parenting while dealing with disabilities and medical issues.  Mama’s Little Helper wishes you and your family well during your healing journey!

Jean Marie Keenan-Johnston and her family

Question of the week:  Do you use a slow cooker and have a favorite recipe to share?

With September almost over and school schedules, after school activities, and sports schedules keeping parents and their kids busy, planning healthy family meals can be a challenge.  It seems more popular than ever to rely upon the good old crock-pot or slow cooker for easy to prepare meals.  There is a surge of Facebook pages about sharing slow cooker recipes, along with many blogs on the subject as well.  Do you use a slow cooker and if so, can you share your favorite recipe with Mama’s Little Helper readers?

Personally, this mama tries to use her crock pot at least once a week and I would like to  use it even more.  I search weekly for new recipes for it that will appeal to my family while also being healthy.  A great blog for slow cooker recipes is A year of slow cooking by Stephanie O’Dea.  She started her blog as a New Years resolution a few years ago and has since published cookbooks of her collected recipes.  It’s a great way to start if you are new to using a slow cooker to find a large variety of recipes.  The Crock-Pot website lists many recipes for their famous brand of slow cookers and is another great resource for home chefs.  A family favorite in our house is a recipe for chicken cacciatore, a meal that a good friend brought us after our son was born.  I’ve made it many times since then!  The recipe that I make almost weekly in my slow cooker is called sticky chicken. It is so simple and cooks a whole chicken that can be used for multiple meals.  I often use the chicken for enchiladas or quesadillas, chicken salad, or as a green salad topper.  The spice mixture used can be adjusted to your personal taste, or to whatever you have on hand even.

Please share your favorite slow cooker recipe or link to a recipe!  Maybe it will help out another reader in discovering something new to make for their family!

Mama Diane

Mariner’s Landing Pier is the Center Pier and a Good Place to Start as Any!

Our View Of Mariner's Landing Pier as we approached our first ride of the day! It's go time!!!

What a great day in Wildwood NJ we had! My family and I arrived in Wildwood NJ around 12:30pm impressing Grandpop Harry, my father, when we picked him up in the amazing Hybrid Yukon Denali that was on loan to me from @GMNortheast for our Jersey Shore Vacation this year. My father lives in Wildwood year round, most times he gets stuck with the trek up for holiday gatherings and such, but when it comes to summer time, I find it in myself to drive down to visit him at least once a summer. What can I say, I’m a giver like that…lol. We scoop up my fun loving dad (read takes out his teeth to show them to my daughter) and head for the boards arriving at 1pm, found parking for $5 in a lot, got on the boards and headed towards Mariner’s Landing Pier.

We had an excellent view of Pop Pop Harry's balding head from on top of the airplanes.

With my daughter being Preschool age, the height requirement eases and she enjoys more thrilling rides with each new visit. Some rides she was able to ride solo and proud starting just this year were the Airplanes, the Convoy & the Pink Elephants. Accompanied by an adult this year, she got to ride even more rides including: the Doo Wopper & Flitzer, 2 moderate thrill rides that are considered kiddie roller coasters. If you ask my daughter, she would most likely tell you that she, “LOVES, LOVES, LOVES roller coasters”. I as her mom think it’s totally cute she is saying the LOVES 3x now to stress how much she LOVES something.

Jump Around is Hopper with Wheels Instead of Frog Legs!

I digress…afraid beyond my wildest imagination of roller coasters most of my entire life straight into adulthood, let alone as a 3 year old child, she must get this dare devil side from her Father. Roller coasters were just one of many terrors placed in this world to scare me, so clearly this courage and bravery for high thrill rides was not bestowed upon her from myself. I’m proud and happy she has this excitement along with the courage to try activities such as these higher thrill rides without being too afraid. She even convinced Me (aka Mama Chrissy) to go on The Great Nor’Easter. I’ve only dared to ride this upside down roller coaster, classified High Thrill Ride in the Inside’s Guide provided by Morey’s Piers, one other crazy time in my life a few years back just to be able to check a goal off of my life’s bucket list and to conquer a fear. At that time in my life, I had decided that fears deemed mostly safe by me, needed to be tried at least once in my life. I was sick of being the one that stood below and watched everyone else have fun, so I made some goals and had at them. For a few years in a row, each year I selected a different fear I had been carrying around with me. Some years I conquered high thrill rides, 1 year I rode jet skis and another year I had a conversation with someone I thought I would never go through with that involved me having to ask for an apology that I believed was long overdo.

Mama Rides The Great Nor'Easter

It was a GREAT feeling giving up all control, being FREE in the air as the heavy machine whipped us around like rag dolls. I could barely turn my head to look over at Al to see how he was handling it. Nothing I could say or do was or could have stopped that roller coaster machine, I was helpless and somehow that was exciting, thrilling, invigorating all rolled up into 1 minute of my life (which I knew would end in 1 minute). When I staggered off the Nor’Easter, getting my footing as I got back on solid ground I had a plastered smile on my face as I searched the crowd for my Daughter and my Dad to see their shocked and pleased looks on their faces. When my eyes finally met their eyes, I was greeted with those looks in addition to my daughter’s look of disappointment because I didn’t let her go on the roller coaster with me….lol.

Not gonna lie, my arthritic/fibromyalgia body took a beating on this ride, so I stopped at that one roller coaster because today was about my daughter having fun and I didn’t want Mama unable to move even though my mind was saying give me more.

The Insider’s Guide Was More Useful Than I Had Thought it Was Going to Be!

The Insider’s Guide was super for finding the rides that were best geared toward my daughter on each pier. Of course maps of the piers are shown with rides numbered, which makes finding information, such as height requirements and thrill level a breeze. I would love to see a small description on some of the rides that I just couldn’t figure out from the ride’s name what kind of ride it would be, like the Doo Wopper. Clearly everyone knows what the Tilt-a-whirl goes a round and a round, but the Doo Wopper, that could have been anything. In their defense it does sort of look like a roller coaster in the guide now that I’m looking back…ha! That was the only confusing part of the guide for me. The weekly specials are worth your time to check out for two reasons. 1. if you are looking for a deal, stay tuned for savings and/or 2. if you are looking to go during non peak times, don’t go on the biggest deal day which appears to me to be Tuesday. You can find all this information on www.MoreysPiers.com as well. Happy Riding

Morey’s Piers Parent Friendly Program Thrills Parents!!

I liked seeing “The Parent Friendly” Program where parents ride free on select rides if the child doesn’t met the exact height requirement. Very cool to see Morey’s Piers acknowledging that 1. Parents don’t want to buy wristbands and/or tickets for themselves just to be able to ride a child’s ride = so not cool and 2. Gives the child more respect by saying we recognize you’re not quite tall enough for this ride, but if you can convince an adult to get on, you can get on too.

Morey’s Piers Official Height Measurement Program Saves Parents Stress on Fun Time Days!!

Also, if you would like you may visit Guest Services to have your child’s height officially measured and a wrist band issued noting your child’s height in case their is a case of question at the ride. Nice to see this option available for those children that are failing right in between the cutoffs of most rides, which seems to be 36″, 42″, 48″or 56″. So instead of causing Mama or Papa Bear to ask for re-measurement (read holding up the lines and annoying everyone including themselves and their child) and assuring the ride attendant your child is tall enough, you can save yourself the stress and have this little measure done before setting out for the days amusements. I myself LOVE this idea. I haven’t tried it out yet for ourselves, because my daughter is clearly over 36″, but not anywhere near 42″. I will use this program when necessary, but didn’t want to overburden the system just to try it out.

What’s New in 2011 for Morey’s Piers?

Courtesy of Morey Family Archives, Photo by Rob Kulisek

New Pier Attractions – “it” on Surfside Pier, Jumbo’s Boardwalk Grille & Eatery gets a face-lift and now serves a selection of beers, wines and specialty drinks.

New Events- The Wild Half Marathon, Morey’s Fears: Terror on the Boardwalk Halloween event, Souper Sunday Chowder and Chili Cook Off

Breakfast in the Sky, Morey’s Piers, Wildwood NJ

Did you know that since 2010 with an advance reservation, on specific days in July & August you can have breakfast on the Ferris Wheel? Yes, you read correctly. You can have a meal while enjoying breathtaking views of the ocean along with the amusements and boardwalk at the same time. How amazing is this? Ok, you’re thinking they throw together some cheap food and call it a meal and send you on your way. Think again, because this meal is prepared by their executive chief, served on china that’s placed upon fresh white linens. Pricing is on par with such a treat, but it’s not out of line for the exclusive experience. Click Breakfast in the Sky Reservations to find out prices and click Breakfast in the Sky Details to see the food selection, along with available time slots and FAQ.

Dreams Do Come True in Wildwood NJ

Pop Pop Harry & Jenna On The Way to the Boardwalk

All in all this day reminded me of my childhood and coming to the boardwalk every summer with my family, mostly my dad who dreamed of living in Wildwood since he was a little boy. A few years back his dream became a reality. Now, each year that I visit the Jersey Shore with my daughter I’m sure to pick my dad up and take him with us to walk the boardwalk (his favorite park every time we went down), rides and enjoy the day with his granddaughter, who thinks he is the hoot he sets out to be, teeth or no teeth! The boardwalk still feels the same to me, only I’m different. I’m grown up, with my own child and my own life. I really enjoy these trips and enjoyed writing this review.

Disclosure: These thoughts are of my own opinions even though Morey’s Piers provided me with a pass to review the piers.

Love Mama Chrissy

Publisher for MamasLittleHelper.org
Columnist for Parents Express Magazine
Writer for Examiner.com
Wildwood New Jersey

Lawyers, Money, Disease, Drugs, Friends, Depression!

TypeAParent Conference and MamasLittleHelper.org

Thank you @GMNortheast for the sweet TahoeHybrid to drive to and from TypeA in NC. What an amazing truck. I want one bad. It was great on gas! I can’t wait to exeperience more vehicles like this in your class. I’m thinking hybrid in my futrue. Thanks

Dutch Wonderland Family Fun Weekend Vacation

We surprised our princess and wrapped up our Lancaster weekend with a Dutch Wonderland visit! Being too young to enjoy the rides last we visited, the stroller was her ride of choice. If your little one is under 36 inches tall, you should wait until once they rise above this milestone as the rides aren’t as exciting compared to the rides for the 36″ or even more remarkable the 42″ child, that is if they are going with children who fall into one of the taller brackets. It was hard for my daughter last year to not be going on the same rides as her taller cousin as he went running all over the park screaming with delight from ride to ride that she wasn’t tall enough to ride. However, if it’s just them and you (no older/taller children), then the 36″ and under tot most likely wouldn’t even realize what they were missing, because there are plenty of cool rides to keep them busy all day long.

We were headed to Lancaster County to check out the Double Tree Hilton in Lancaster…again, special thanks to the Hilton for the wonderful invite and beautiful accommodation, we were only 6 miles away from DW. Instead of heading directly home, why not head over to Dutch Wonderland for some fast moving excitement, which is right up this 3 year old’s alley.

For moms with Fibromyalgia, moms with Rheumatoid Arthritis, or any health challenges, like myself…trips like this can be scary before you even leave. I worry if I will have enough energy to keep going, how many times I will need to stop, what my pain level is going to be, will it be too humid and my RA really flair up- I pray for little pain so we as a family can enjoy the weekend. As any parent does, you need to find a way to make this happen for your child, so I’ve come up with a few strategies I utilize to help insure I’ll have the best time possible, while staying the longest time in the park as I can.

Healthy Tips for Enjoying Summer Trips to Theme Parks While Struggling with RA & Fibromyalgia!

• plenty of rest the night before
• healthy eating to keep energy up
• limit sugar intake to reduce highs and lows in energy level
• secure fitting sneakers not only soothe achy feet, protect your back too
• staying hydrated keeps you feeling well
• stretch and take breaks (stand/sit) even if you feel well keeps your muscles/joints from tightening
• pack ice packs or plastic bags to fill with ice you get from the snack shop, use on achy joints alternating different locations
• bring your China Gel/Bio Freeze/Tiger Balm or whatever arthritic ointment you love best
• take your anti-inflammatory along with any supplements such as acai berry that reduce inflammation
• give yourself a mini massage in spots that are exhausted throughout the day, watch you don’t hurt those hands
• go in the pool (immediate anti-inflammatory)
• go in air condition buildings to combat tender, hot joints
• enjoy shows, monorails, sky line or train rides (anything that takes longer than 5 min that can give your body at least a min break without you being a lame duck for stopping to sit at every park bench
• enjoy a fruit smoothie or another very cold treat that gives you the overall sensation of being cool
• take a warm bath with Epsom salt back in the hotel room and go to bed early
• don’t plan for an entire day of walking, just pick the most important rides- get to them and then spend time in the water park in the afternoon

When we first arrive, I was sure to inquire about the special id bracelets (neon green) available free of charge, write my phone number on the inside and put it on my daughter’s wrist in case we are separated. Pointing out all the employees in dark blue and light blue shirts as safe people that she may approach should should find herself lost, I begin my conversation explaining that she shouldn’t get lost if she follows the rules of staying close by Mom and not running off.

Today was an awesome day to go, because it was a very iffy day for weather, mid 60′s, cloudy and a 35% chance of rain in the forecast kept the park pretty low key all day. Everyone knows this means no lines for anything, food or ride related!! woot! woot!

First stop is the Joust Family Coaster, which was her first roller coaster. Followed by many, many rides, all of which fulfilled her thrill seeking side. We even went on one of the two new rides this year, Leapen’ Frogs. This was a special trip for us, my daughter did a lot of the rides independently, really emphasizing her fast approaching “big girl” world. For me this was bitter sweet, as I want her to be independent, proud of her accomplishments, but be my baby forever!

Thanks again to the great weather, we were able to skip the air conditioned eateries in the park (Castle Cafe & Mill Stream Eatery) an opt for pizza and fries. Potato Patch has fresh cut fries – which can also be a yummy snack to hold you over till after 2pm when the crowds aren’t so bad in the eateries on extremely busy days at the park. As I walked through the park, there were plenty of spots to rest and fill up on my ice as well as the water rides to cool off. This park had a lot of the strategies I utilize to keep me going during my theme park trip.

Free Parking & Free Hours at Dutch Wonderland

What a great time we had at Dutch Wonderland! We will be back for sure! Free Parking! One last cool thing I want to point out is about the Preview Plan they offer 3 hours before Park closing. Purchase a regular admission ticket for a full day at the Park tomorrow – and join them FREE for the remainder of the evening! Also returning this year, is the free wonderland mini golf- just show your ticket stub and you’ll be ready for your hole-in-one! This is one amusement park you can’t afford to not have on your list of things to do this summer!

Philly Mom Blogger

Mama tries to get some sleep help from Dream Water

Since becoming a mom, my sleep habits have changed dramatically.  While I no longer feel sleep deprived from those first 8 months or so of when my son was an infant, I still do not sleep well.  I’ve always been a night owl, but with a child who wakes up naturally around 6:00 am, and my work at home mom schedule of late night work, I often suffer from sleep issues.  Sleep deprivation, insomnia, and restless sleep are common.  The worst one to me is insomnia, those nights when I feel utterly exhausted but nothing gets my mind to shut up and let me sleep.  There are lots of sleep solutions out there on the market, from medical to behavioral techniques.  One I recently tried and found some success with is Dream Water.

According to Dream Water, sleep affects all areas of life, from how we perform at work, to how our face and body look, to how we fare when we travel.  It also can make a typically happy mommy into a very crabby mommy when she is tired!  Dream Water is a liquid-form sleep enhancer that helps with relaxing and falling asleep.  So what is Dream Water??

Dream Water is:

• All natural, zero calories, no preservatives
• All-natural active ingredients, including melatonin, 5 HTP and GABA
• Two delicious flavors: Snoozeberry and Lullaby Lemon
• Easy to use 2.5 oz shot
• $2.99 per bottle
• Available for purchase at select retailers, including Walmart, Walgreens and Duane Reade, and at www.drinkdreamwater.com

Photo of Dream Water courtesy of A Dream Products Company

I tested out some Snoozeberry Dream Water to see if it would provide some sleep help for me.  After reading all of the directions, ingredients, and reviews I decided that I would try drinking just half of a shot-sized bottle at around 11:30pm one night.  It tasted like berries, not sure if it was really blueberry and pomegranate, but it definitely tasted like berry-flavor.   It was surprisingly sweet and didn’t mix well with my freshly brushed teeth!  (Note to self, brush teeth AFTER consuming Dream Water!)  I usually read for a hour or so before I go to sleep, but within about 20 minutes I felt very groggy and relaxed.  I ended up putting my book down and turning out the lights.  It took me another 15 minutes or so before I nodded off and I did fall asleep a bit faster than usual.  I did wake up once, but unlike most nights, I fell back to sleep immediately.  I realized the mistake I made when at 6:00 am my darling three year old woke me up and I couldn’t wake up completely…I drank the Dream Water too late at night!  I think I should have calcualted the time better and consumed the water by 10:00pm so that I would have a chance to get a full 8 hours of sleep.  (I never get 8 hours of sleep!!)  I did have a hard time waking up, but by 8 am I felt wide awake and rested.  I do think that the Dream Water helped me stay asleep and relaxed through the night.

The biggest warning about Dream Water is to not drive (or operate heavy machinery)  or engage in important tasks after consuming, until the effects wear off.  Also, this is not a product one should use during pregnancy.  It is recommended for people over the age of 18, so it is NOT a sleep aid for children.  (Keep it out of reach of children!)  On the bottle there is also a warning to consult your physician before using if you have any medical conditions.  I did not experience any negative side effects from consuming half of a 2.5 oz bottle (a full serving is the whole 2.5 oz bottle.)  However, everyone reacts differently from products, so use at your discretion.

Dream Water giveaway to provide you with some sleep help!

Dream Water would like to give Mama’s Little Helper readers a chance to try out Dream Water.  Two readers will have a chance to win 30 shot-sized bottles of Dream Water.  This is enough to share with your mom friends and all get a great night’s rest!  To enter for your chance at some sleep help from Dream Water complete one or more of the following, leaving a separate comment for each entry!

1. Leave a comment about your sleep struggles
2. Leave a comment about what helps you get to sleep
3. Like Dream Water on Facebook and leave a comment saying you did so
4. Follow Dream Water on Twitter (@DreamWater) and leave a comment, including your Twitter handle
5. Like Mama’s Little Helper on Facebook and leave a comment saying you did so (or if you already do!)
6. Follow Mama’s Little Helper on Twitter (@MamasLtlHelper) and leave a comment, including your Twitter handle.

This giveaway will be open for entries until Friday June 3, 2011 at 11:00 pm EST.  Two winners will be selected from the comments, chosen by Random.org.  The winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner(s) will be selected.  Prize and distribution is the responsibility of the Dream Water representative.  Please read all directions and warnings before consuming this sleep aid and use at your own discretion….Mama’s Little Helper authors and publishers are not responsible if you have any negative reaction to this product.

Good Luck and Sweet Dreams!

Disclosure:  Mama was provided with six bottles of Dream Water to sample for the purposes of this review.  No monetary compensation was received.  The opinions expressed here are honest and my own!

Does your family enjoy going out for a game of bowling?  Never tried it, but thinking it might be fun to see your kids bowl?  Try it for free this summer with two special  free bowling programs available at area bowling centers.  Bowling is a great fun physical activity that encourages social skills along with sportsmanship.  It’s also a great indoor activity when the weather outside is not so nice!  Check out these free kids events:

At AMF’s Summer Unplugged, parents can register their children to bowl up to two games per day for free, all summer long.  A quick and easy registration process helps parents find the local bowling centers offering this deal along with a quick sign up to get the process started.  If parents or older siblings want to join in the fun, there is the AMF Summer 17 Plus Pass.  This discounted pass allows parents of kids registered for free bowling to register up to four other people over age 17 to bowl two games per day all summer long for $27.95.

At KidsBowlFree.com, parents can find their local bowling center and register their children to bowl free all summer long.

Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Free program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.

Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations.

With the Kids Bowl Free program, each bowling alley has their own age restrictions and shoe policy…some charge for shoe rentals.  There are also specific hours for bowling for free (usually all day.)  There are also family pass programs that average at $25 for up to four other family members to bowl with the children who are registered to bowl free.  To find your local bowling alley and register, check out their website, Kids Bowl Free.

Mama’s Carpal Tunnel Is Gone, Thanks To My Melanie, My Massage Therapist!!

Just a little funny we found online, it's what I feel like doing if only I didn't have RA!

Most of you know by now I’ve been seeing a massage therapist to relieve my Fibromyalgia Pain, Melanie Boyd from WellnessNaturallymb.com. She has been my muscle knot terminator. Seeking and destroying the muscles knots that try to dodge her by slipping around, but she stays right on top of them. She is teaching me about letting go of my tightness in my muscles. This tightness could be causing my numbness in my hands.

My neurologist convinced me, from my EMG findings that I had the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome severely in my right wrist and mildly in my left wrist. He also explained to me that I had tendinitis in my left elbow. After hearing his finding from the EMG, I made my appointment with the surgeon who would perform the carpal tunnel surgery. Around the same time, I started seeing a new massage therapist who was able to press deep into my forearm muscles, releasing my nerves from the pressure they were under and I felt some numbness go away. At that point, I knew I was onto something, and I needed to see this through. I needed to see what she could do as far as help me relieve my numbness and pain from my carpal tunnel syndrome. By her deeply manipulating the tight muscles it released tight muscle pressing on these nerves that were causing the severe pain.

I actually canceled an appointment with my surgeon scheduled for last Monday. I’m blown away with the decrease in my Symptoms of Fibromyalgia that I’m not feeling thanks to Melanie. Each week, I feel more and more longer lasting results and less and less pain and numbness. Meaning, the muscles are starting to keep the new feeling of not being so tight. I’m relearning how to hold my hands and wrists properly for everything from steering my car to sleeping at night.

Now, I imagine I will need to continue my stretches and exercises for carpal tunnel as well as a maintenance therapeutic massage program of some sort (probably a monthly appointment) to keep my muscles from tightening back up once we finish the treatment. Melanie’s prices are reasonable…actually less money than some local spas, yet way better massages!

Any Moms Out There With Fibromyalgia Pain?

Every week for the past few weeks I have been getting a deep tissue massage to help my muscles that feel like a solid piece of wood (symptoms of Fibromyalgia) loosen up. We work on a few areas that are usually causing the most Fibromyalgia pain and making my life really hard to navigate. After the massage, I see my chiropractor for an adjustment. Today, was the first time in all my chiropractor adjustments over the past several weeks that my elbows adjusted. Yup, my forearms are so tight that not only do I have a muscle clamping down on my nerve (carpal tunnel, pinched nerve) I also have recently been diagnosed with tendinitis in my elbow. With the slightest movement I would have a stabbing pain right near my elbow. Well, today the pain was so severe Melanie dug deep on the muscle around this tendinitis (which I also learned today is just inflammation) and I’m pain free from tendinitis as I type this. As for my carpal tunnel, my hand hasn’t gone numb as of yet either since I started typing this post, this just gives you an idea. My hand goes numb still, I’m just noticing that it can go a little longer with out flexing it or stretching it to take the numbness away. Normally I can’t type for longer than a few seconds due to the carpal tunnel. Here it comes now. Err! Break…be back soon.

My elbows and lower back are super tight right now, my neck used to be the most tight part of my body, but as Melanie & Dr.Heidi release my muscles in my neck, other parts of my body start screaming out for help. Deep massage and chiropractic together are transforming my muscles and helping me with my symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Oh it hurts like you know what during the massage, but I feel my muscles letting go, I literally feel it. I feel them relaxing and that freedom, which is so sad because its freedom from myself, from tight muscles, makes me feel lighter, looser, not as numb and not in nearly as much pain. A girl can get used to this, especially a girl in as much chronic pain as myself.

How Can You Get Help For Your Symptoms of Fibromyalgia? read on…

I have been getting deep tissue massages for most of my adulthood. I knew they always brought me relief, but not until I found a truly caring, kinda medical in a weird way, masseuse did I actually find help to take away a significant amount of the fibromyalgia pain. The pain I feel is real, I believe it was brought on by a traumatic, emotionally, physical event in my childhood. My body hurts all over…sometimes even when I’m hugged.  First thing you deserve to try, because we all deserve a little less pain in our daily Fibromyalgia lives, find a masseuse like Melanie Boyd or just make an apt with Melanie for those of you close by Doylestown, which is in Bucks County PA.  Also, your chiropractor needs to be holistic in the sense that she looks at you as a whole, she talks with your masseuses to figure out how best to treat you. Again if you are close by, make an appointment with Dr. Heidi…if not, ask people around you for professionals like I explain here.

Most importantly,  you need to feel like these two professionals are your people…meaning they get you and you trust each other, because a big part of my healing is to allow people into my space, especially my space in my head. I have to trust them, so my body let’s its protector-self down enough so they can get in and work their magic. Meaning, I must trust them enough to close my eyes and say have at me, do whatever you need to do and I take my deep breaths and let it all go, let my body release the muscles, the emotions, the tension…its a physiological journey for me as well as a medical journey and I’m moving right along.

If you need to talk more, comment or email me if you need privacy. I believe in fate. I was meant to find Melanie and Dr. Heidi, I was meant to have a website like this to reach so many of you and I’m meant to help others. Its what makes me most happy. Good Luck to you all! Please post your stories or leave me feedback in the comment section

((Gentle Hugs))

Melanie’s Facebook Page

Melanie’s Website & Blog

Dr. Heidi’s Facebook Page