I have mixed feelings about antibacterial soap. On the one hand (no pun intended), I understand the importance of removing germs from hands, especially since we touch so many germy surfaces in the course of the day, and then often use our hands to eat. But on the flip side of that is the fact that some experts say that we are losing our natural ability to fight germs by using too many antibacterial products. I try to strike a good balance- I keep moisturizing lotion soap in the bathrooms for general washing after going to the bathroom, but I also keep antibacterial soap in the kitchen to use when I’m cooking, especially after handling meat.

I got an email from a marketing company asking if I would like to try one of the new fragrances of Dial Complete Antibacterial Hand Wash, and pass along information to you about the new Campaign for Clean Hands. I received two bottles of the Soothing White Tea fragrance of Dial Complete. It smells fantastic. It also doesn’t leave my hands feeling dried out. Because it has “Superior Germ Kill” and kills more germs than any other liquid hand soap (according to their website), I would use it in my kitchen while cooking.

Before launching their campaign, Dial Complete® brand took a “Campaign for Clean Hands” survey. They asked the individuals they surveyed who had taught them to wash their hands. 76 percent answered that it was their mother that had taught them proper handwashing. Go, Moms!

“Discovering that mothers are the number one influencers in teaching children to wash their hands reinforces the point that, in most instances, ‘mother knows best’,” said Juan Serrano, senior brand manager, the Dial Complete brand. “To help parents in their efforts to teach their children about hand washing, Dial Complete foaming hand wash has launched the Campaign for Clean Hands, a program designed to engage and educate families about the importance of proper hand-hygiene.”

The centerpiece of the Dial Complete brand’s Campaign for Clean Hands is an informative Web site - www.campaignforcleanhands.com - that features a Campaign for Clean Hands video contest for kids; an online “DC Germ Blaster” video game; and a variety of fun, educational hand washing materials parents can print and share with their children, including a home hand washing chart, coloring and activity sheets, bookmarks and a memory game. The site also features a sweepstakes visitors can enter to win a year’s supply of Dial Complete foaming hand wash.

To enter the Campaign for Clean Hands video contest, parents (or legal guardian) need to submit a 15-to-30-second video of their child telling the world “Why Clean Hands Are Important.” Finalists will be selected by a Dial Complete brand judging panel and then voted on by a national audience. The Campaign for Clean Hands video contest winner will win a trip for four to Washington D.C.* and $1,000 in spending money. For more information and to enter, visit www.campaignforcleanhands.com.

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One of the hottest shows on TV last season was Dirty Sexy Money, and for good reason. Sure it was dirty in more ways than one, and it was undoubtedly sexy, and of course money is the root of at least some of the evil on the show. But what really makes this show one to watch is the cast of characters and the actors who play them.

Donald Sutherland as bazillionaire Tripp Darling. Jill Clayburgh as his wife Letitia. Peter Krause (Six Feet Under) as Nick George, whose father was the Darling family’s legal counsel, and when he passes away, Nick is offered the job. William Baldwin as rising politician Patrick Darling, who is both married and having an affair with someone very different than his family would ever expect. Blair Underwood as billionaire Simon Elder. And all of it executive-produced by Greg Berlanti (Dawson’s Creek, Brothers & Sisters, Eli Stone).

2007 was a short TV season due to the writer’s strike, so there were only 10 episodes made of the show. Therefore there is a terrific bunch of bonus features on the last disc of the set-the making of Dirty Sexy Money, a VIP set tour of the Darling’s Manhattan mansion (filmed on a Hollywood soundstage), “Dressing the Darlings”, a wonderful look at the couture clothes that each character wears, and “The Other Woman: Candis Cayne”, a look at the character of Carmelita and how transgender performer Candis Cayne brings her to life. There are also Commentaries, Deleted Scenes, and Dirty Sexy Bloopers.

Giveaway- I’ve got one copy of Dirty Sexy Money Season One on DVD to give away. Because I am shipping it myself, this giveaway is open to residents of the United States only. I’m going to require just two things for you to do to be entered in the giveaway.

1. Leave a comment on this post using your real name or blog alias, your valid email address, and the answer to this question-what would you do if you had unlimited amounts of money?

2. You must also do ONE of the following for your comment entry to be valid-
a. place a link to this blog somewhere on your blog. It can be in a post, or in your sidebar, or on a separate “Links” page. The anchor text must read MomReviews with no space, and the URL is http://momreviews.net.
b. OR, if you do not have your own blog, click one of the social bookmarking links at the end of this post to add this post to StumbleUpon, Digg, Delicious, Kirtsy, or whatever your favorite site is. You can also link to this giveaway on Twitter. Tell me in your comment which you did and what your username for the site is.

I will use random.org to choose one winner from all eligible entries at 9:00 AM EST on Wednesday, October 15th. The winner will be contacted by email for their full name, mailing address, and daytime phone number. If I do not get a reply in three days, I will choose a new winner. Good luck everybody!

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Okay, I have a confession to make- I like watching shows on Nickelodeon, even when my kids aren’t home. There are two shows I especially like, “Drake and Josh”, and “iCarly”. And interestingly, both star Miranda Cosgrove (”School of Rock”) too.

iCarly stars Cosgrove as 14 year old Carly, who along with her best friends Sam and Freddie, creates a weekly Web show called, of course, iCarly. It all begins when Carly is put in charge of the school talent show, along with her best pal Sam (Jennette McCurdy, a frequent guest star on sitcoms). Their friend Freddie (Nathan Kress, also a frequent sitcom guest star and voice actor) videotapes the auditions, along with Carly and Sam’s funny banter and comments, and posts it online. The show is so popular that their online viewers ask for more, and it turns into a regular Webcast with comedy sketches, interviews, people showing off their talents, and more.

Carly lives with her twenty-something brother Spencer (Jerry Trainor, “Crossing Jordan” and Crazy Steve on “Drake and Josh”) who is also her guardian, we know her Dad is in the military but there isn’t a mention of a Mom. There is an episode where Carly and Spencer’s Grandpa stops by. Spencer is a Sculptor, which is supposedly how he is paying the rent and utilities on their third floor loft studio apartment. Spencer has his share of mishaps and goofy situations, but it’s obvious Spencer truly cares for Carly.

The show is rated Y7, so you can feel comfortable having this DVD on even with younger kids in the room (there is the very rare, mildly inappropriate word like “that sucks”). You get all 13 episodes from Season 1, plus a disc of bonus features:

• “Leave It All to Me” Music Video
• Extended & Exclusive Making of the Music Video “Leave It All to Me”
• Behind-the-Scenes Extras
• Special Bonus Ringtone Offer! *For a limited time only, while supplies last. Standard text messaging rates and data charges may apply. Ask your parents for permission.

If your kids are fans of iCarly or know Miranda Cosgrove from Drake and Josh, this would be a great DVD to get for them! It’s nice to have DVDs to put in that the whole family can watch and that are fun and entertaining.

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Sticklers, by Sakura of America, are a must have for teens, tweens and kids of all ages! Each kit comes with Metallic outline stickers coordinated with pastel opaque Soufflé™ or basic transparent Glaze® 3-D ink pens. Peel off a sticker, color it in with the pens, and decorate stationery or greeting cards, school notebooks and folders, even a cell phone or MP3 player. To get an idea of how it works and what the stickers look like, click this link to the Stickler website, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and view the short video. Sticklers look so amazing decorating picture frames or on personalized cards! People will never guess you used simple stickers and pens to make them.

For the giveaway, I get to pick 10 lucky readers to win their choice of Activity Kits. I’ve had some problems in the past with winners not getting the items they chose, so I want to be really careful this time. In your comment entry, I need you to tell me which kit you want if you are chosen as a winner. I will forward that information to the sponsor who will be doing the shipping. This image shows all of the Stickler kit choices:

I’ll need you to tell me specifically in your comment entry which kit you want-#1, #2, #3, or #4. Read the descriptions carefully, some come with silver outline stickers and some come with Gold. Remember Souffle pens are opaque and Glaze pens are transparent. If you choose #1 or #4, I’ll need to know which of the color choices you’ll want. Let me know if you have any questions.

For ONE ENTRY:

*Visit the Stickler website, and find the link that says “See line drawings of sticklers designs here!”. Click that link, look at the drawings, then come back here and tell me one sticker outline that you saw that you would like to use to decorate something if you win, and also which of the above choices of kits you will want if you win. Please use a REAL first name or blog alias and a VALID email address. Comments left with keywords or obvious spam advertising or nothing besides “thanks” will just be deleted.

Enter by Tuesday October 14th at 9:00 AM EST. At that time I will use Random.org to choose 10 winners from all eligible entries, and email each person for their mailing address and to confirm their choice of Stickler kit. Winners will be given the sponsor’s email address and will be responsible for contacting the sponsor with any questions about shipment or delivery.

*Not required but always appreciated- Stumbling this post, submitting it to Digg or Kirtsy, mentioning it on your own blog or on Twitter. Think of it as good blog karma

Good luck everybody!

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Remember that scene in the Sex and the City Movie when Carrie asks her assistant Louise how she can afford the newest Louis Vuitton handbag? And Louise said “Bag, Borrow, or Steal!” I can just imagine the traffic that BagBorroworSteal.com must have had the weekend that movie opened. So what’s it all about? You buy a membership to the website, and it lets you rent fabulous designer bags!

*You can borrow a bag as a Guest or pay the member fee and save 20% off.
*Keep the bag for a week, a month, or as long as you want! The fee is cheaper the longer you borrow.
*When you decide you want a different fabulous designer bag, print out a free return shipping label and drop off the boxed up handbag to any UPS location.

Why become a member?
* Save over 20% on borrowing rates
* Priority access to new arrivals (you’ll hear first!)
* Queue for most popular accessories (sent to you as soon as available)
* Member-only private Outlet sales and first access to other sales
* Earn rewards for every dollar you spend (See “Rewards Program”)

There are three options for enjoying the benefits of Bag Borrow or Steal membership.

* 1 Month for $9.95
* 3 Months for $19.95 (Only $6.65 per month) Save 33%!
* 1 Year for $59.95 (Only $5 per month) Save 50%!

Membership will be billed in one easy payment, and you’ll be billed separately for each rental. Get a Coach tote for $17 a week, the Kate Spade crocodile print patent leather “Quinn” tote for $22 a week, a beautiful black beaded Prada evening bag for $51 a week. You’ll feel like a fabulous celebrity carrying one of these bags! The other Moms at Parent Teacher night are sure to glance enviously your way *wink*

Not a Mom? No problem! Imagine showing up at a cocktail party carrying the latest designer bag, the fact that you borrowed it can be your little secret! Just click the link at the top of this post to get started! You DESERVE a gorgeous designer handbag, and you don’t have to pay full price for it!!

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Originally created for use in the medical profession, Zout is designed to get out pretty much every kind of stain. Many stain removers contain just one enzyme for stain removal, Zout has three. Each enzyme gets out a different kind of stain:
- Protease gets out protein stains such as: grass, blood, baby formula and dirt.
- Amylase gets out starch stains like: BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, baby food, gravy and chili.
- Lipase targets oily stains like: butter, salad dressing, oil and grease

And for concerned moms everywhere, Zout doesn’t harm the flame resistance on your children’s sleepwear while getting out baby stains such as: baby food, juice, baby formula and even “organic stains” (I think that’s the polite way of saying poop). Zout even Guarantees that it will get out those stains or your money back! **

You use it by saturating the stain and rubbing the fabric together to work the Zout in, then let it sit for 1-5 minutes. Then launder the item according to the manufacturer’s directions on the label. You can also add 1/2 cup of Zout with your detergent to help give your laundry an extra cleaning boost.

Zout is available at grocery stores and major stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, and Safeway. Look for it in the laundry aisle. Suggested pricing:
Zout Foam/Spray Stain Remover $2.99 - $3.99 for 22 ounces
Zout Liquid Pull Top Stain Remover $2.79 for 16 ounces

Put Zout to work on your tough laundry stains!

***If you are not satisfied that Zout Stain Remover removed the mentioned stains, We will refund the cost of your Zout Stain Remover purchase only. Does not apply to the garments treated with Zout Stain Remover. Please call 1-800-350-4932 for more details.

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Sometimes I get snack cravings that apples and carrots just cannot satisfy. And I will admit, I have eaten my share of snack cakes. I went through a chocolate with a white squiggle on top cupcake phase, and a Aldi brand sponge cake with white filling phase. Even the “reduced fat” versions of those cakes are high in calories. The Weight Watchers Golden Sponge Cakes have less than 100 calories per serving and 3 grams of fiber, making them only 1 Weight Watcher “POINT”!

So how do they taste? The outside is a very sweet yellow cake, and the inside is a white cream filling. I found them sweeter tasting than Twinkies, but for a little bite of something sweet, they are perfect. I didn’t even feel guilty about letting the boys each pack one in their lunch! After the Double Chocolate Muffins, these are my next favorite snack cake from Weight Watchers. It’s a sweet snack that you can feel good about buying for yourself and your kids!

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Me, to my husband: “I’m so excited for the kids and you to be going to your first circus.”
My husband, to me: “How will it be any different than a normal day at our house?”

haha, he’s a funny guy. People, we are going to the CIRCUS tonight!! Thanks to the beautiful, wonderful, amazing ladies at MomCentral, our family is going to the Ringling Bros. Circus show at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids tonight! Not only have my kids never been to a circus, but neither has my husband! I went to the Barnum and Bailey circus when I was in elementary school, I can’t remember exactly what year, but I know we were living in Bloomfield Hills and we went to the Pontiac Silverdome for the show. I remember elephants, and a lady standing up riding a horse.

For this MomCentral blog tour, we’re also spreading the word about a great deal on tickets to see the Ringling Bros. Circus. With Discount Code MCC, you’ll save 20% on $24, $19, and $13 tickets to the following shows in the following cities- check the Ringling website for information about the circus itself:

> Denver, CO - Oct. 2-13, 2008
> Cleveland, OH - Oct. 24 - Nov. 2
> Chicago, IL - Nov. 6 - 30, 2008
> St. Louis, MO - Nov. 6-9, 2008
> Auburn Hills, MI - Nov. 12 - 16, 2008
> Highland Heights, KY - Feb 27 - Mar. 1, 2009
> Cincinnati, OH - Mar. 4 - 8, 2009

Feel free to share the MCC 20% off Discount code around with friends and family near those cities. They can order tickets online at www.ringling.com and use the Discount code at checkout. What a great deal! I had no idea that tickets to the circus were so reasonable. I can’t wait to see my kids’ reactions to the show! The one we are going to is called “Bellobration”, it’s a celebration of a Ringling clown named Bello. From the photos on the website, it looks like quite a show! I’ll be posting a recap and some photos if I’m allowed to take any while we are there.

And if a discount code isn’t awesome enough, the Ringling Bros. Circus has a wonderful program called Baby’s First Circus for children under 12 months old. You fill out a registration form and in return, are mailed a Free Ticket Voucher that is good for a free ticket to any Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey performance, anytime, anywhere. No expiration date! See the link for eligibility requirements.

What about you? Have you been to the circus? Looking at that list of tour dates, do you think you will go?

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Cosmetic surgery – some moms are into the idea, and some moms are firmly against it. (Just like any other heated topic, really.) If you’re in that second group, however, there are some things to know in order to keep yourself safe.

First things first: realistic expectations are extremely important. Why are you entertaining the idea of cosmetic surgery? It is certainly something that you must ask yourself. Most moms get self-conscious about that little post-partum belly pooch or a little extra weight gain – something that a tummy tuck or a bit of liposuction might indeed fix, in the event that a fitness regimen falls short. If you’re seeking a more drastic change, however, it may be crucial to take a step back and reevaluate your inspiration behind your desires. According to the Mayo Clinic, “anticipate improvement, not perfection.” In other words, successful cosmetic surgery works best when the goal is to refine and enhance, not replace. Anything else, and you could end up losing yourself completely – and that is rarely ever for the better.

If you’ve decided to press ahead with surgery, it is critical that you scour your area for a well-qualified and board certified plastic surgeon. Any time you’re entrusting your body and health to the hands of someone else, you want to find the most competent and experienced professional you can find, and cosmetic surgery is no different. Though scientific breakthroughs have made procedures much less critical, the majority still involve invasive medical techniques. You wouldn’t let a stranger with no credentials perform heart surgery on you, right? The same standards must hold for rhinoplasty.

There’s nothing wrong with cosmetic surgery – especially just contemplating it. If you see it in your future, however, then do your homework and remember these guidelines, and you can look forward to a triumphant and satisfying experience.

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If I had a wish, you know, like if a fairy godmother appeared and said I could have three wishes or heck, even one wish, but it had to be for something that would be just for me, you know what I would wish for? An office. I know that might sound silly considering all the possibilities there could be if one was to get a wish, but you have to understand the current state of my house. I have papers and press releases and products for review piled up on my “desk” which is pushed up against the wall of the “dining area” of our living room, I have more on the end tables on either side of the couch, some on the kitchen table, and some in the kids’ playroom sitting on what used to be a vanity. What I don’t have? Is a room with a door that I could close, where I could work without interruption and have a desk and some drawers and some shelves just for me. Isn’t it ironic? I’m a stay at home Mom who wishes she worked in an office! With Office Furniture that was comfortable and nice to look at and kept everything organized!

You should see me at office supply stores, drooling over soft, ergonomic Office Chairs. You know where I do my blogging? Perched on the edge of our couch. My husband built us a great computer stand and I really appreciate it, but he sized it to fit HIM. Which means that I can’t just sit back comfortably on the couch to use the computer stand, because my arms are too short to reach the laptop if I do. Stop laughing at me. I can’t help it if I’m short! So yeah, I like to sit in the nice comfy chairs at office supply stores and scoot them up to the wonderful desks with their attached drawers and shelves.

photo credit: http://www.officesupermarket.co.uk

I could just stare at that photo all day long…sigh. The website where I got it is called OfficeSupermarket, and it has the coolest looking office furniture! It’s a U.K. company, and I find it interesting that they’ve given some of their Office Desks the names of US States and Cities- the New Jersey Mini, the Tampa Home Worker, the Nevada Workstation. It would be interesting to know if those names are based on what kind of office furniture is actually most popular in those places!

If you’re reading this post and you’re in West London, OfficeSupermarket has a showroom on Great Portland Street. You can also get a phone number to call on their website if you are interested in ordering furniture. I know I would if that darn wish fairy or money truck would just hurry up and get here!

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