It was a beautiful day, perfect for a trip to the zoo.

Perfect for inspiration for this week’s Thankful Thursday post.

I’m thankful for the beautiful weather we had.

I’m thankful that we were able to see the last of the beautiful tulips that were planted throughout the zoo before they were all gone.  I can not even imagine planting that many bulbs!

I’m thankful that we were able to meet my dad at the zoo.  It was definitely a treat for the kids to get to enjoy the zoo with Grandpa.

I’m thankful that we were able to get one of the last parking spots in the main lot, which happened to be right next to my dad, somehow.  So much easier than parking in the far lot and then having to race across the zoo to meet up with him at the front!

I’m thankful for our safe trip to and from the zoo, and for children who colored and shared markers along the way.

I’m thankful for kids who listened and were on their best behavior during our trip.

As we were leaving, we met a beautiful little girl being pulled in a wagon.  She had a medical tube leading from her nose to a pack on her back.  Her parents said they were on their way back to the hospital.  I am thankful that she was able to get out and enjoy the weather and the zoo with her parents.  And I am ever so grateful for the health of my own children.  It is something we all too often take for granted.

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Have a thankful post of your own?  Link it up with us!  Be sure to link to your actual post, please, and let your readers know you’ve linked up here!

Linked up with these great Thankful Thursday link ups: Black Tag Diaries, The Fontenot Four, Six by the Bay

The post Thankful Thursday — Inspired by a Trip to the Zoo first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Taking care of my skin has never been a huge priority for me.  Well, unless you count trying to get rid of zits back in high school…

Inching closer to 40 has made me rethink my skin care, especially how I clean and moisturize my face.  I’ve been more diligent about putting moisturizer on each night.  After years of using the same face lotion that I’ve used since college, I’ve started checking bottles, comparing their claims…wondering which might help make those lines near my eyes disappear.

And then there’s the soap.  Could using regular soap to wash my face each night being drying out my skin like all the commercials say?

With so many choices, and not enough time to read them all (after all, kids in the shopping cart like to keep moving!), I was excited to try the Sea Buckthorn Facial Cleanser from Sibu Beauty.

The Buckthorn berry is a key ingredient in Sibu Beauty’s products.  What’s so special about that?   The Buckthorn berry contains the elusive Omega 7, in addition to the more common Omega’s 3, 6, and 9.  All four of these work together to provide cellular support for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

The first thing I noticed when I opened this product was the scent.  Some products are just too over-powering.  Sibu Beauty’s facial cleanser has a very light, almost citrus scent.  (It actually helps me wake up in the morning!)

The next thing I noticed  was the itty-bitty micro particles that give your face a gentle exfoliation.  I’ve tried a few exfoliating products in the past that have felt like you were rubbing sand paper all over your skin.  This was completely different!

Something else I love about this cleanser is that it is sulfate-free.  So many products contain sulfates, something I never looked at until my mother developed a pretty severe allergic reaction to all types of sulfates.  As an extra bonus their products are cruelty free and vegan friendly.

Want a chance to try out Sibu Beauty’s Facial Cleanser for yourself?  Enter the giveaway below.  U.S. and Canada residents 18 and over only.  Giveaway ends 12:00 A.M. E.S.T. on Monday, February 25, 2013. No previous Sibu Beauty giveaway winners, please!

(I received no financial compensation for this post; I did, however, receive a free bottle of cleanser to review.  All opinions are 100% my own.)

GIVEAWAY OVER.

The post Sibu Beauty Giveaway first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

It’s a must if you have kids.

Unfortunately, health insurance seems to be one of the first things companies drop or change in their attempt to save money.  My husband’s company is no exception.

Looking back, I am so thankful that we had the insurance we had during our pregnancies.  At the time I didn’t realize how good we had it.

With both our pregnancies we were sent to an ultrasound specialist.  With our daughter it was because they were afraid something was wrong with her heart.  Since there is a family background of heart defects (OneDaddy and my nephew), we took this seriously.  Thankfully the specialist thought everything looked fine with her heart, but there was still a concern about her low weight – so we had numerous ultrasounds the last couple months of pregnancy before they finally opted to induce me.  (Turns out little Peanut had them all fooled – her itty-bitty hips had them thinking she was under 5 pounds, but she actually was 5.5.)

Then there was my little Monkey.  On the day we discovered he was a boy, our joy was short-lived.  There were concerns that he may have Down’s, and so we were once again scheduled to see the ultrasound specialist.  The specialist eased our minds some, but since little guy would not cooperate and let us see his face in any ultrasound, they continued to do weekly ultrasounds the last 3 months of the pregnancy.  Yes, I know, at any time I could have refused the ultrasounds.  After all, nothing we found out would have changed my mind, we were having this baby.  But, like any mother, I wanted to do whatever was best for my baby.  Having good family health insurance and not having to worry about the out-of-pocket expenses gave us one less thing to worry about.

It’s a shame that changing, or dropping, insurance benefits is one way that companies react to the current economy.  It makes it difficult for a young family starting out to focus on the important things, like the health and well-being of their children, when they must weigh financial concerns into the mix.

The post Health Insurance first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

There are some down-sides to hand sanitizer, though.  For one, since it is alcohol based, I really don’t want to use it too often on the kiddos.  Not only is there the slight risk of them ingesting some of it at this age, it also is very drying on their young skin.  Plus, most brands I’ve used leave a strong alcohol scent, unless its a “floofy-smelling” one with an odor that gives me a headache…

The other issue is that once typical hand sanitizer dries its no longer killing germs.  Don’t get me wrong, it kills the germs that were on your hands, but once it dries, if you touch something else full of germs, you’re right back to square one.

Of course, washing your hands is the best way to fight the spread of germs, especially during cold and flu season.

But anyone with young kids will tell you it isn’t always easy or possible to wash their hands while they are playing at the indoor playground, eating lunch, or crawling under the bathroom stall while you help big sis on the potty…  It’s one reason I carry hand sanitizer, and when I found out there was a hand sanitizer that lasts past one application?   I was pretty excited to give it a try!

Prefense hand sanitizer is 100% alcohol free.   According to the Prefense web site, the patented formula includes a silica complex which both moisturizes and does not easily wash off.  It will last up to 10 hand washings and is supposed to kill germs for 24 hours!  The hand sanitizer is also non-toxic and safe for kids.  With young children to consider, I’m loving the idea that I don’t have to keep dumping regular alcohol-based hand sanitizer on their hands during potty visits when they just can’t seem to keep their hands off the floor, or out of their mouth.

But anyone can find all the scientific data at the Prefense Web Site.   What about all the stuff they don’t tell you?

When I first applied the product I noticed I couldn’t detect any strong odor, unlike the usual alcohol smell of regular hand sanitizer.   It also felt different than my old sanitizer, less slimy.  I’ve used it for several days now and haven’t noticed any dryness that is sometimes associated with repeated hand washing or using hand sanitizer.  And the fast and easy foam application?  Genius!  For whatever reason both my kids liked this part.This is definitely going in my bag this cold and flu season!

Want to get a hold of some for yourself?

You can purchase a bottle of sanitizer or the new wipes at their online store.   You can also find it at Amazon.com – a terrific deal if you get free shipping through Prime!  Or try the product’s store locator if you like to buy locally.

Plus, one lucky There’s Just One Mommy reader will receive a free 8 oz. bottle of Prefense Hand Sanitizer – that’s 640 applications, free!

** J ust leave a comment to this post and you will be entered into the give away. **

Want a few more chances?

*Follow me on GFC or Networked Blogs and leave a separate comment to this post letting me know.

*Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment on this post letting me know.

*Like this post or Tweet it!

Giveaway ends Monday, September 26 at 11:59 p.m. EST and is oopen to U.S. residents only.  Winner will be chosen through a random number generator.  Winner will be contacted via email and announced on this blog.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Sponsor is responsible for shipping product to winner.

Good luck and stay healthy this season!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The post Keeping the Germs at Bay This Cold/Flu Season (#giveaway) first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.