The Weekend

Miranda and I had a pretty good weekend.

It started with me getting paid for some work I did last week. I helped an old friend insulate a room in Madison Thursday and Friday. It was some HOT work. I sweat so much I stopped sweating. Ever done that? Its scary. When you quit sweating, you start shaking and getting weak and your heart beats faster... I guess its the beginning of dehydration. But with me being in the medical field, I recognized it quickly. I stopped, went to a cooler downstairs room, drank a bottle of water and ate a banana. Within 5 minutes I was ok. Whew...

We rented two movies Friday night from redbox.com. We got "From Paris With Love" with John Travolta. AWESOME action movie. Travolta is a BADA$$ and he's hilarious. We also got Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson. Very good movie. We recommend both of them highly.

Saturday I got out in the inferno we call the great outdoors and cut the grass. Wow. Please refer to the paragraph before last and reference the sweating part. :) After I finished, showered and recuperated, Miranda's twin sister, her husband and their two little munchkins came to visit. Wes and I grilled hotdogs and drank some ice-cold Coors Light. After dinner it was time for the fight... the UFC fight, that is. What better wat to spend a relaxing Saturday night than to watch a bunch of men go toe-to-toe and beat the dog out of each other?

Well, Saturday came and went and Sunday peeked its head into our lives. We left the house and went to my parents place where Daniel, my photographer step-brother, took our pregnancy pictures. He's pretty good. We got some great shots of 'the belly.'

We came home, watched some TV, Miranda napped, we went and visited some good friends at their new home, came home again, played Phase 10, ate dinner, watched Transformers, and here I am... finally arriving at the present.

Sorry this post wasn't as humorous as they usually are. After this weekend, I just didn't have any comedic energy left after using it all on a "uh-oh'ing" 18 month old. The bring side is that I usually refresh fairly quickly. I'll post again in a couple of days and make you all giggle.

Word to your mother...

David

Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Seventh Generation Review & Giveaway

CLOSED!!

Recently, Meghan at Seventh Generation (SG) sent me 2 boxes of full size SG products to test and review.

Miranda and I have been trying to be as green as possible lately by switching all of our light bulbs from regular bulbs to the new CFLs, we switched to a tankless water heater and got new central heat and air units. What better way to keep the green trend going by trying and using green products from a reputable green company?

I was sent the following items:

Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Concentrated Pacs (15 ct) (F&C)

Disinfecting Wipes (35 ct) (F&C)

Natural 2x Concentrated Laundry Detergent (He) (F&C)

Natural Fabric Softener (F&C)

Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner (F&C)

Natural All Purpose Cleaner (F&C)

Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner

Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner

Natural Dish Liquid (F&C)

Natural 100% Recycled Paper Towels

SG Tote

In case you are wondering what the (F&C) means on most of the above listed items, it stands for Free & Clear... it MEANS that these F&C items are truly free and clear of fragrances and dyes. Let me tell ya... they mean it. :) The unscented items really are unscented. Unlike some of the other fragrant 'unscented' items you can buy.

Here's a picture of all the items that were sent to my home. Well, almost all of them. The paper towels are all gone and the tote is in use. I'll post pics of all the items as I review them so you can see them.

Below I will review each product, give an overall statement and finally I'll rate each one on a 10-scale.

Let's begin...

Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Concentrated Pacs (15 ct) (F&C)

The picture shows a Lemon scent, but mine was F&C. 

They look and feel like other detergent pacs and they work pretty well.

The first time we used one we noticed that our dishes weren't clean after the first - and second - wash. We initially thought they didn't work, but we quickly realized that they worked fine, we just forgot to rinse out an exceptionally dirty dish.

Overall: These are great. They don't clean any better then other pacs, but they are green. That makes them worth it. Thumbs up!

Rating: 9/10

Disinfecting Wipes (35 ct) (F&C)

These are great! They have a slight Lemongrass and Thyme scent. If you aren't a fan of those scents, don't fret - the scent fades very quickly. Scent is usually gone in less then 3-5 minutes. Don't let that fool you... these wipes kill 99.99% of household germs. Especially Influenza A, Salmonella and Pseudomonas.

How awesome is that? With twin sons coming that is a HUGE plus!

Overall: Love them! 

Rating: 10/10

Natural 2x Concentrated Laundry Detergent (He) (F&C)

Free and Clear! Absolutely no scent here. 

Cleans just as well as your normal detergent but is WAY safer for the environment.

I cut grass one day and my socks were tinged green when I was finished.

I popped them into the washer with this detergent and 50 minutes later my socks were actually whiter than if I would have used my normal detergent. I'd say that's pretty good.
If you are one of those who just HAVE to have a fresh clean scent, this may not be for you.

But there's always perfume or cologne. :)

Another good thing... this item is safe for High Efficiency (He) machines like ours.

Overall: Love it! Plain and simple. I do like fragrance though. The lack of scent is the only downside to this item.

Rating: 9/10

Natural Fabric Softener (F&C)

 This fabric softener actually does what it says. It makes your clothes softer. Most fabric softeners nowadays just take out static and leave a nice scent. But that's all you're paying for with those items... scent and lack of static electricity in your clothes. But these... these actually soften! I was shocked.

This item is a must. Its F&C, but it does what it says! And in a world where products DON'T do what they say they do, this item is a keeper!! Not to mention that this item is also safe for He machines.

Overall: Amazing. Does what it says. A true must-have!

Rating: 10/10

Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner (F&C)

 This plant-derived solution cleans glass pretty well, although sadly only about 90% as good as another un-named brand. I do like that this item is F&C. I hate chemicals and their smells. So, in all honesty I think I would possibly switch to this product. We ARE all about 'green' and natural these days. Safety has become a priority in the household now that we're expecting twins.

Overall: Doesn't get glass quite as clean as other products, but the F&C aspect of it puts it ahead of the other glass cleaners out there.

Rating: 8/10

Natural All Purpose Cleaner (F&C)

 Great as a degreaser! Compared to other products of its kins, this one really holds its own.

Our flat-top stove is constantly greasy. This item, coupled with the paper towels I'll review in a minute, is a slam dunk. Its also F&C which is a HUGE plus in the all-purpose category. You all know how other products like this are overpowering. Not this one. Its also biodegradable and non-toxic! How can it get any better??

Overall: Wonderful product. Will most likely switch to this item.

Rating: 10/10

Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner

"Kills over 99.99% of household germs, specifically: Influenza A, H1N1, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli" 

I thought I'd start out with a quote on this one. Straight from the SG website.

This item has the Lemongrass/Thyme scent but again, it only lasts a couple of minutes. Personally, I really like the fragrance. It smells natural and clean.

Of course no one has a household germ tester. At least we don't. But if it cleans and kills germs as well as it says, we have found a new multi-surface cleaner.

The naturalness of this product plus its ability to kill all that it does is a winner!

Overall: Great product. May become a staple in our home.

Rating: 9/10

Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner

 Personally, I did not try this item - Miranda did.

I asked her how she liked it and she said it was fine. She said it cleaned just like our other bathroom cleaners did but without the harsh chemical smells. That's all I needed to hear. Cleans just as well without searing your nose hairs! Beautiful.

Overall: If my wife likes it, I like it. :)

Rating: 10/10

Natural Dish Liquid (F&C)

 I love this one. 

It cleans better than our regular dish detergent. How about that??

It's amazing that something green can do what it does. Mother nature is a beautiful woman!

Its very slippery - way more so than regular dish detergents. So be careful when handwashing your plates and such. It also cleans very oily (read: car oil) hands very well. I was truly amazed at its ability to do all that it did.

Overall: It tempts me to start handwashing our dishes more often. Great item!!

Rating: 10/10

Natural 100% Recycled Paper Towels

 Now, I was just sent one roll, not 8. And the roll I got was brown in color, not white.

These are really good. Like a friend of mine said... they don't look like much, but they work quite well.

They don't soak up liquids as much as other brands and that's a little on the negative side.

But they are 100% recycled and that's the main point, right? GREEN!!

I've got to give them a slightly lower rating ONLY because of the fact that they need to soak up more liquids. But other than that, I like them. And the brown color is a conversation piece. :)

Overall: Be a little more absorbent and you've go a customer for life.

Rating: 7/10

SG Tote

 Not really sure if I was supposed to review this item but I will anyway.

A great item to have. Its very strong and the best part is, it keeps excess paper and plastic out of our landfills.

In that respect, it could possibly be one of the more important items I reviewed. :)

Overall: What can I say? It's a tote alright. (wink)

Rating: 10/10 (as far as totes go)

----------------------------------------------------

I want to thank Meghan and Seventh Generation for allowing me to test and review these items. You have a plethora of great items in your inventory. All of which are as good or better than the current name brand items. Your company is doing so much good for our environment. I hope you continue to do so and never forget what your mission is. Keep the earth healthy for as long as we can.

I invite EVERYONE to go to the SG website and read all about them. This truly is a pioneering company.

Long live Seventh Generation!!

-----------------------------------------------------

Now... for the moment you've all been waiting for...

Its Giveaway Time

Up for grabs is the exact same two boxes of items that I reviewed.
Well, not the exact same. Yours will be brand new, never opened. Shipped directly to you from SG.

I don't know what the retail value of this package is, but I can tell you its a good chunk.
And WELL worth your time to enter.

There are two MANDATORY things you must do to qualify to win:

PLEASE NOTE: I had to export the old comment system which contained over 60+ comments and entries already. Those entries are still valid but will not show up in the comments section. If the winner happens to be from a previous comment, I will produce the .XML file for proof if requested. Thank You!

Mandatory Entries


#1: You MUST be a follower of my blog. I do check, so no cheating. :)

#2. You MUST go to the Seventh Generation website and comment here telling me what you'd like to try the most. You can name an item I've already listed, 

BUT you've got to also name an item I did not list here.
This lets me know that you at least went to the SG website and looked them over.

Extra Entries 

Follow us on our new Twitter account so you'll know when we're doing a giveaway - 1 extra entry
You must leave a separate comment telling me your Twitter name so I can verify

 Become friends of our Facebook Fan Page - 1 extra entry
You must leave a separate comment telling me your Facebook name so I can verify


Become friends of Seventh Generation's Facebook Page - 1 extra entry
You must leave a separate comment telling me you've done so (Honor system here)


"Share" this giveaway on Facebook by clicking the blue Share button at the top of this post - 1 extra entry
You must leave a separate comment telling me you've done so


Blog about this giveaway on your own blog - 2 extra entries
You must leave two separate comments with at least one of those comments containing a link to your
blog so I can verify


Add Our Button to your blog - 3 extra entries

You can find it on the right side of this page. You must leave
three separate comments with at least one of them containing a link to
the page where our button is located on your blog.

Remember to leave your e-mail address in every comment you make so I'll know how to contact you in the event that you win. Comments with no e-mail addresses cannot be contacted!

US Residents only. 18+

Contest ends:
Saturday, June 12th at 11:59pm CST!
 
CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Help Wanted?

You know... it wasn't too long ago that businesses placed HELP WANTED signs in their windows...

It wasn't long ago that our economy was booming and fresh college graduates like myself could find a job in their field...

It wasn't long ago people could make a good living by going to college and earning their education...

It wasn't long ago that I graduated, not long at all in fact. Actually, it was only 1 month ago Monday. I thought once I got my degree I could find a job quickly and be able to provide for my family. I just knew that the little piece of paper I proudly display in my living room that says DIPLOMA on it was my ticket to security.

Well, it's turning out that that is not the case.

I'm starting to stress, folks. My wife, bless her, is stressing too. So much so that its almost unbearable for me to watch. It feels horrible to see her worry so much. She should be stress free right now - especially with two babies in her belly.

Don't get me wrong, I've got a job. But its a job that I've not been ABLE to work in the past several weeks seeing as how when I graduated my student license expired. I've got my certification now and my license has been submitted. Once that goes into effect I can start working at my old job again, but who knows how many hours I'll be offered. I work PRN (as needed) at a semi-local hospital. And even when I was a student, the hours were slim. I love that I have this job, but it's not enough. I need the security of a full time job with benefits... my wife needs it, my children need it.

Since the last paragraph ended, I sat here in my chair for 15 minutes in a dead stare - my fingers hovering over the keyboard in the ready-to-type position. All I thought about was "what are we going to do?" How's that for stressing? I can't even blog without being sucked into a coma-like worry fest.

We'll make it, I've got no doubt. But until we do, what are we going to do?

Hopefully the resumes I've submitted and the calls Miranda and I have been making will pay off. It just seems like no one is hiring. We don't have much more time left. Cooper and Carter will be here in about 3 months.

"Dear Lord..." you know the rest.

It Just Got REAL

You know, I've been in a few fights in my day. I've been punched... kicked... bitten... and pushed around.
Don't get me wrong, I've done my share of punching, kicking, biting and pushing. But today something happened.

I got beat up today. I got kicked and punched so hard it made me cry. And the weirdest part was, I let it happen.

Ladies and gentlemen, I can feel my twin boys now!

Miranda said suddenly "Oh, baby, come feel..."

I did...

I put my hand right where I was told to (I do what I'm told... I love a happy wife). A few seconds later...'POW' (a nod to the 1960's Batman) Cooper kicked or punched me HARD. I went from not feeling them at all yesterday to 'BAM' - they're kicking really hard today. There's NO mistaking it!

I stayed knelt down on our hardwood floor for only a few minutes but it was long enough to kill my toes and knees. And the funniest part...I didn't care.

I've never felt anything like that. I've felt kicking babies before, that's not what I'm talking about. I mean I've never felt that feeling before. I'm still euphoric. My cloud 9 is large and puffy. It's thick and full of vigor. It's not going to dissipate for a while. It's swaying and rocking me into a state of bliss. Ahhh....

My boys, my sweet little unborn men have made their big, strong, manly daddy melt into a pile of goo.
I'm reeling.

Now, I'm going to get offline and reel with my wife and babies.

I want to hear about all of your 'first times' to feel your babies. Please feel free to share. This is a safe place. :)


Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!
(You may have to click the title of this post at the top to be
able to post until I get the commenting area repaired)

I did it! I DID it!!

The day came and is about to be put in the 'went' column.

You are reading words that are being carefully typed by a Certified Respiratory Therapist! WOOHOO!!
I woke up this morning with a slight feeling of helplessness. And as I let the dog out, drank my coffee, showered, checked my e-mail, etc... it just got worse. I couldn't shake it.

The time came for me to leave the house and drive to Huntsville (50 minutes away) to the place where I was to be tested...I feel bad.

The time came for me to walk to my proctor's desk to show my ID...I feel sick.

The time came for me to walk the green mile (it WAS in an H&R Block bldg) to the small little room where I was to take the exam...I'm about to hurl.

The time came, and came, and came, and came for me to actually TAKE the exam (it took 2 hrs, 10 min)...I feel like falling asleep - in a pile of vomitus.

The time came for me to exit the exam module and return to my proctor...my stomach is churning, knees are weak and I'm shaking like a leaf.

The time came for me to actually READ my results...I am seriously contemplating suici...wait... what?!...I passed? I PASSED!!

Oh my sweet, long-haired, bearded baby Jesus! I PASSED!

You have got to be kidding me! The entire time I was taking that exam I felt like I could just crawl in a hole and die. Nothing was clicking. I could hear Death's chains rattling down the hall and for a brief moment I thought I saw his sickle's shadow.

But nope... apparently I'm smarter than I thought I was. I didn't pass with flying colors, but I didn't eek by either. I'm mediocre. And I'm happy with that. (Haha)

Now... my CRT license has been filled out and the check(s) are laying on top of it. Just have to put it in the mail tomorrow and within 7-10 days I should have confirmation that my license has been accepted and I can officially go back to work... at a higher pay scale I might add!

WOOHOO! I am the MAN! (Yep, I'm patting myself on the back. Why? Because I can and you can't stop me. hahaha)

Now the time has come for me to quit typing. I've got a headache. :p

'Til next time...


Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!