New York Area Twins or Triplets Kids CASTING - Need IMMEDIATELY

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert

As a mom of four, including triplets who all worked as young children in show business, I always love to pass on opportunities like this to my readers, many of whom have twins or triplets.

My friends Lisa and Debbie Ganz at Twins Talent in New York currently are assisting with a Curb Your Enthusiasm casting in New York City.  Seeking identical twins or triplets. Caucasian to play approximately 6 months old. Shoots new week, August 2nd or 3rd in NYC.

If interested email response immediately direct to Twins Talent, being sure to include photos, names, date of birth, telephone number, etc.

Twins Talent
Email
billywonka@aol.com

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any compensation, either in the form of products, services, or cash payment related to this post. See complete FTC disclosure information at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.

10 Family Roadtrip Tips for Avoiding Sunburn, Altitude Sickness & Dehydration in Kids

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

For the past 10 days my four children and I have been traveling across America on an old-fashioned road trip.

Since leaving California a week ago Sunday we've driven over 2500 miles, traveling through 9 states so far with even more different climates. And we still have just less than 3 weeks to go before before returning home.

My girls are pictured above at a farm in Missouri. As you can see one of them is NOT wearing a hat, which is definitely a no-no when kids are outdoors.

Packing for a trip like this, that goes through so many different eco systems isn't as hard as you might think: just layer your clothes.  Making sure that your kids don't get sick from the sun, extreme heat (or cold) and major changes in altitudes while traveling, however, is something that is a bit more challenging to deal with.

These tips should maximize your chances of having a vacation to remember, not one that you wish you could forget. Uh oh, now BOTH of my boys (shown at an air & space museum in Oklahoma below) aren't wearing baseball caps.

Avoiding Sunburn

• 1. Always apply sunblock that is a minimum of 30 SPF to ALL exposed areas of the body, except eyes etc. following the directions on the bottle
• 2. Remember to use sunblock even when it is overcast and very cloudy. For example, here in Minnesota where we are right now the sky is gray but the health advisory today says you can burn in 20 minutes
• 3. Reapply sunblock as often as needed, especially when there is high humidity (like we had in Oklahoma & Iowa), a lot of dry heat (such as Arizona), and whenever you are swimming, after a waterpark, or on a boat where there is exposure to water

Minimizing the Effects of Altitude Sickness

• 4. If you will be headed to an area with extreme altitudes such as the Rockies in Colorado check with your doctor before traveling to see he/she has recommendations for medicine you might be able to take in advance.  Our family takes a drug called Diamox that really reduces headaches & nausea for us before going to the mountains during the summer as well as in winter when we go skiing.
• 5. Don't forget, you need to apply A LOT of sunblock at high altitudes, so be sure to follow the 3 steps above for protection as the more intense UV rays you'll experience higher up.
• 6. You may want to travel more slowly to give you and your kids a chance to adjust to major changes in altitude.
• 7. Remember that the atmosphere is MUCH thinner at higher altitudes so exercise in moderation is always a good idea. This will help you avoid the altitude sickness symptoms above which also include muscle fatigue, shortness of breath, and even insomnia.
• 8. Eat lightly and drink plenty of liquids (for more about that see tips of avoiding dehydration below).  For high altitudes drinking as much as 8-10 large glasses of water can make a big difference. For adults, limiting or avoiding drinking alchohol can also really help.

Fighting Dehydration

• 9.  It's hard to believe, but even kids who say they are NOT thirsty can be hit hard with dehydration.  So, ere on the side of caution and make sure your children (and you) are drinking ALOT, even when your mouth doesn't feel dry.  In other words, force fluids. Extreme cases of dehydration can require hospitalization and people wandering around in the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico have died recently because they had little or no water with them.
• 10. Always carry MORE water than you think you'll need.  We always have at least a half gallon of water per person in the car and we refill those bottles whenever drinkable water is available at rest stops, museums, and motels.  Also, as mom or dad used to tell you, always wear a HAT when outside!

With these easy preventitive measures you can ensure that this will be a vacation that you and your children will remember for a lifetime.

Travel safely and feel free to leave your own advice for fighting sunburn, altitude sicknes, and/or dehydration.  Tell us about your favorite family vacation spots too.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any compensation, either in the form of products, services, or cash payment related to this post. See complete FTC disclosure information at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.

Bonsai Trees - A Green Alternative to Sending Cut Flowers - PRODUCT REVIIEW

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

Recently, I was asked to choose a ProFlowers product from their site to review for this blog.  I've never had a Bonsai Tree nor had I ever considered owning one of these exotic plants until now because I thought it might be too hard to take care of.  So, I checked out this online seller of gift baskets and plants site and became curious about the Gardenia Bonsai that's available by mail for $49.99 from Proflowers.com

This is definitely a novel gift idea either for yourself or to send to someone special whether for a special occasion or "just because."  For example, this would be a beautiful gift for someone who has an extended illness or to show your appreciation to one of your kid's teachers at school.

Just a few days after I ordered this Pro Flowers gift, it arrived by UPS.  The outer box it was shipped in was sturdy and had several open vents so the plant could breathe on its way to my house. As unpacked it, I could see that it was very well-padded with bubble wrap and packaging material, ensuring that both this unique Bonsai variety as well as the ceramic pot it came planted was in perfect shape. 

The soil around the trunk of the mini plant arrived moist with a lovely natural rock on its surface (I have since added a second faux rock that says "growth" on it.   The greenery looked very fresh upon arrival.  You could see the green Gardenia buds forming but it did not have any flowers blooming yet when it joined our family.

I followed the directions watering from the bottom by placing the pot in 2" of water to soak for about 20 minutes. I also obeyed the instructions to keep it out of direct sunlight -- even placing it outside at night so the cool evening air would stimulate the buds to finish developing and to open. 

However, after a few days I noticed some of the lower leaves turning yellow.  At first I was worried that this cute Bonsai I named Cutie-Pie was sick or might be dying -- possibly because I did something wrong.  This would have been very sad, if true, because this little tree is a baby at only 3 year old.  But, after I read through the plant care pamphlet it came with I read that if new leaves are yellow (or light colored with dark veins) that you should give it a suitable acid-type fertilizer, which I did.

We are on a 4-week family roadtrip that I am blogging about for MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com now so I will have to get back to you with an update on Cutie-Pie's health later this summer.  I have a friend plant-sitting for me this Bonsai, though, so I know she is being well cared for.  But I will definitely keep you posted -- I'm hoping to have good news soon and will post additional pictures after we get home from this trip.

PLEASE COMMENT--Whether you are new to Bonsai Trees or an expert on the subject I'd love to hear about your own experiences with this type of intriguing plant.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert received the Gardenia Bonsai for this product review but did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.