Rock And Drool

Leading Lady Bra Review and Giveaway. You’re Welcome.

April 11th, 2012

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Here at Rock and Drool giveaways aren’t normally my thang. But, right place, right time. I received an email from Leading Lady a couple of months ago asking if I’d like to try out one of their bras. Ironically, I was in the market for a new bra. Have to keep those puppies off the floor, if you know what I mean.

I chose the Scalloped lace underwire bra.

That is NOT a picture of me in a bra. It's from the Leading Lady website.

It fits great. It’s super comfy. You have to hand wash it and lay flat to dry but actually, I didn’t know that and I threw it in the washing machine. It was fine. I don’t put my bras in the dryer though, it ruins the underwire. It holds securely, as in…they don’t do the jig when I’m walking. Also, you can’t see the lace through shirts which is nice. And…it actually is somewhat sexy for a full figured bra. Sometimes those bras look like they are for your grandma.

FYI…now through the end of April, Leading Lady is giving away a pair of organic panties with every order. Also, shipping is free with orders over $75. It’s easy to spend that anyways over on their site!

Their bras and underwear are specific to the woman with a fuller figure and also, for pregnant/nursing women.

In their own words: Leading Lady is a premiere intimate apparel company dedicated to creating comfortably functional, remarkably affordable, stylish and easy-to-wear bras, camis and sleepwear. A family owned and operated business, Leading Lady has been expertly tailoring nursing and full figure bras for top brands and retailers across North America for more than 70 years. For the first time, Leading Lady’s comprehensive line of nursing and full figure intimates – including sexy stretch lace wire-free and underwire bras, supportive and seamless sport and yoga bras, and cozy sleep and leisure bras – can be purchased directly on LeadingLady.com.

Leading Lady is proud to celebrate “Leading Ladies” everywhere through its products, programs and philanthropic activities. Leading Lady is dedicated to arming new moms with the support – physically, intellectually and emotionally – they need to nurture their babies through breastfeeding and committed to supporting a variety of organizations and issues relevant to women across the country. Follow Leading Lady on Facebook and Twitter.

Anywhoo…

I get to give one of these puppy holders…er…bras away, here on my blog. This giveaway is for a coupon code which entitles the winner to receive any bra of her liking. But, if you aren’t pregnant and you like lace bras, I highly recommend the one that I have.

All you have to do to win is do all the stuff in this Rafflecopter thingy…

United Healthcare and McDonalds Gift Cards: What’s Wrong With This Picture?

April 10th, 2012

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Click on that picture. Go on, I’ll wait.

I KNOW, RIGHT? Pick your jaw back up unless you’re comfortable reading the rest of the post like that…

OK, I am totally on board with the Rite-Aid, Target or Meijer gift cards. Those are completely take-your-two-year-old-kid-for-shots worthy.

BUT MCDONALDS?

Seriously?

Oh, where to start with the wrongness?

Our government is always talking about obesity, right? And there are all these programs initiated to fight against childhood obesity, right? I mean, somewhere down south, Georgia I believe…there are billboards showcasing heavy children in hopes of raising more awareness to the epidemic we supposedly have here in the United States. There are bazillions of dollars spent EVERY YEAR, all over the country, on campaigns to support obesity annihilation. There are non-profits to get our children from potato to jumping bean. Every kid station on cable has some little anti-obesity campaign going on. It’s all over the news, in our faces, ever single day.

That letter? There are some MAJOR BIG TIME issues there.

As in…the McDonalds factor.

Yeah.

No matter what that company does to the healthy up the names of their foods and Happy Meals, they are still the most rotten things that we can feed our children. The new fangled Happy Meals that are supposedly healthier…don’t even get me started. Even their “healthier” food choices aren’t technically healthy or slenderizing. And quite frankly, I’m pretty sure that if there ever is a Zombie Apocalypse, it’s going to be McDonalds fault because of the crap that they put in their foods.

Which brings me to exhibit A…Why would ANY healthcare company in their right mind try to entice parents to immunize their children by dangling a $20 McDonalds gift card in front of them? Oh wait, because the fatter and unhealthier our country is, the more money these companies make. I get it. Great, offer the inoculations for free, that’s quite a deal. Especially for those of us who don’t have a Dept. of Health in our area where they are ALWAYS free. But then, let’s fatten those children up nice and plump-like, clog their arteries with pink slime and other sludge, create diabetes and cause bone and joint problems. Because yay, then we’ve got ‘em good. They’re at the doctor every other day for one obesity related problem or another, the doctor bills the insurance company and viola…they make some money.

Maybe, and this is just a thought but…the healthcare company should consider offering a 2 month gym membership to one of those $10/month fitness places. Or, how about a $25 gift card to Whole Foods or something along that GOOD FOR YOU line. If a healthcare company is going to incentivize inoculations, then perhaps offer something for the greater good. And I’m NOT talking about the greater good of the company.

What the heck was this United “HEALTHCARE” Company thinking?

Oh yeah…duh.

Passover, A Repost from 2009

April 5th, 2012

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I wrote this in 2009 but nothing has changed, it’s a decent post so, I’ll repost it for you. It’s about Passover which begins at sundown tomorrow. This is the first Passover I’ve celebrated without my mother. Well, that’s not exactly true, she didn’t join us last year but she was alive, at least. Passover is one of my favorite holidays because of the memories.

Anyways…like I said, this post was written in April of 2009. It still holds true. Happy Passover.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tonight, at sundown, Passover begins.
Tonight, Jews all over the world celebrate our liberation from the Pharaoh.
Tonight, we have a Seder with the retelling of the story of Moses and his life as a Prince. And his life as a leader of the enslaved Jews he led out of Egypt and into Israel, The Promised Land.
Tonight, we talk of how many have tried to exterminate or enslave the Jews. But have failed. Because of our strength as a people. As a culture.
We will talk of the plagues brought upon Egypt.
We will sing songs.
We will laugh and drink wine.
Our children will watch and wait for Elijah to come and drink the wine from our front porches. And they will search the house for the Afikomen in hopes of winning the coins.
All over the world, we are preparing our homes to bring in Passover, in whatever capacity our families observe it.
We cook our Passover foods.
We set our Seder tables.
We bring out our finest china and silverware and crystal.
We garnish our Seder plates with the bitter herb, the lamb shank, the egg, the matzo…
We are busily preparing to share this holiday with our closest family and friends.
It’s tradition.
It’s our culture.
And this is the one holiday that makes me really feel my Jewishness. It’s the one holiday that always has. Because, Passover was always more about family being together and enjoying each other. And to me, that is really, the true essence of being Jewish.
Family. And close friends. And the importance of togetherness. And respect.
Passover has always been my favorite of all our holidays. My fondest holiday memories are those of Passover Seder at my grandparents apartment, playing with my cousins in the basement. My grandfathers leading of the Seder. And my grandmothers cooking of food with WAY too much garlic.
And I hope…
That my children will look back, when they are my age…
And they will smile widely at their memories of Passover Seders.
And they will be proud to be part of this beautiful religion. And this amazing culture.
The way that I am.
To all my friends…
Whether you celebrate Passover or Easter or any other holiday or tradition this time of year…may it be happy and healthy!

image: google until tomorrow when I take a picture of my own seder table.

On Blogstipation and Selling Out

March 30th, 2012

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When my kids were younger, it was so much easier to be a “Mommy Blogger”. I had so much ammunition. Those 5 kids of mine supplied enough blog fodder to feed a million moms.

Yeah, not so much anymore.

And when they do say or do something, I inevitably get this look of horror which is directed at me with a “You can NOT blog or Tweet about this.”

So, like any good Mommy who loves her children, I curse under my breath and promise not to write about it. I don’t even cross my fingers. These kids know how to find my blog and they aren’t afraid to bitch up a storm if I say something that wasn’t child approved.

Little Fockers.

Instead, I’m cursed with teenaged children blog fodder and no blog to put it on. Because, I’m not ALLOWED to.

In comes that uncomfortable BLOGSTIPATION. I mean, I can’t even think up a post to go along with a bra review/giveaway I have to do. Yeah, I know. I needed a new bra though…right place, right time, that email was.

And man, when those words and ideas build up with nowhere for them to go, they sit in a giant ball in your chest. Hello elephant.

Ah, the good old days. When kids were cute. And bloggable. How time certainly flies, eh?

I have all these stinking drafts here, begging me to finish them. I can’t do it. This blockage hurts.

Have any of you EVER known me to go this long without blogging? NO! I mean, once upon a time, I was a blogger. I mean, I could find even the littlest thing and turn it into a stinkin’ blog post. WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GIRL!!??

Then I think, eh, what difference does it make anyways? There are so many blogs out there, what’s one less? Well, I’m not quite ready to throw the towel in yet. And just because there are so many…none of them are ROCK AND DROOL man!!

There’s a lot to be said for all you peeps out there who never told your family about your blog. Sweet freedom!!

I totally know that to be a unblogstipated blogger, consistency is a key ingredient. Just sit down, write and hit publish.

Except, then you get mindless drivel like this. Only really, this post isn’t mindless drivel, it’s actually what I’m thinking about right now. Deep thoughts, that’s what you get here.

OK, then I was thinking about this whole thing going on now in the blogs about the “selling out” issue.

I gots something to say on that, too…of course.

When many of us started blogging, back in the dark ages, things were different. We blogged to share our lives, to capture snapshots of time and write about them. We wrote to be validated. We wrote so that we could be understood and also, to understand ourselves. We wrote for the love of writing. We wrote so that we had memories to pass on to our children. We wrote for many different reasons, but we wrote. And we shared. And we grew in strength, recognition and numbers. Quite honestly, I happened to have grown as a person. It forever changed and shaped me into who I am today.

When many of us discovered that we could take our passion and turn it into some spending money, we jumped on that. I mean, we were plugging away at blogging and pre-social media social media like it was a full time job. Why the heck not get compensated for our work, right?

I am proud to say that I have made a career out of something that I took from basically nothing. I make enough money now to help pay for things that we might not have otherwise been able to do. I take opportunities to go places and do things in exchange for a blog post because that is part of my chosen job.

Blogging for money is NOT selling out. Not in the least.

What it comes down to is this…

You do what you want with what you have and let others do what they want. It does NOT make those of us who decided to take our blogs and our skills to the next level less transparent or less serious than those who decide to blog for no monetary gain.

To each their own.

There, that’s my $.02. And no, I was in no way compensated for my say in the matter.

The Hunger Games. A Movie Review.

March 22nd, 2012

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I loved The Hunger Game books with the same passion that I hated the 3 pages of the Twilight book that I read. Loved.

I counted down the days, with the rest of the teeny boppers, for the movie to be released.

Then, I managed to get invited to the screening. It goes along with my whole “ask for what you want” M.O. I asked. I wasn’t turned down. It’s all good.

I took my little lonesome to the movie. Plopped myself down in the exact center of the theater, which was very cushy, by the way. I eavesdropped on all the journalists talking about how much they hated the whole Twilight franchise. I didn’t want to interrupt their conversations so I just high-fived them in my head.

So anyways. I’m not going to go into the whole premise of the movie because most people on this planet have read AT LEAST the first book to the trilogy. Right? If not, there are many reviews written that have a whole synopsis of the movie that would be WAY better written than anything I could come up with.

I’ll just get right into my own little review for ya. Ready?

It was OK. I didn’t love it the way I loved the book. And, contrary to what the critics said, I liked John Carter WAY better.

Here’s why I didn’t love it…

I thought some of it was boring. If I had been allowed to bring my phone in, I would have probably played a little Draw Something. Or Tweeted.

Let’s discuss casting, shall we?

Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss. I realize that Katniss is supposed to be brooding so she was right on with that. BUT…I found her to be too flat. Katniss is a strong character in the book and I thought she was just a little too brooding and not enough strong. She’s awfully pretty though.

Peeta was played by Josh Hutcherson. He played it well. I’m just not a huge fan of his. But he played a strong weak character.

Liam Hemsworth as Gale. Yum. And he looked pretty close to exactly how I pictured him.

Woody Harrelson was an outstanding Haymitch. He plays a drunk quite excellently.

I loved that Donald Sutherland was Snow. He is the most perfect shady, bad guy. Plus, I love him.

Let’s talk about Cinna, OK? His part was way too small. He needed to be on screen way more than he was. Oh, did I mention that Lenny Kravitz played him? Well, he did. And he is so beautiful, I drooled. It doesn’t matter if he can act or not, I’m just happy to look at him.

SEE...HOT!!

Anyways, I had the same problem with the movie that I did with the book, as far as characters go. I never felt any real development. The whole Katniss-Peeta-Gale love triangle…it wasn’t there. Not for me, anyways. Reading The Hunger Games and watching the movie, which were pretty similar…a few “made for Hollywood” changes but nothing that affected the integrity of the book too badly…the action scenes. The parts I loved about the books were when the characters were in the actual Hunger Games, the rest of the book was just fluff to me. Same with the movie.

I figure that I’m just hyper-critical and everyone who sees this movie will love it and I’ll be scratching my head and wondering why. But that’s ok, I’m used to it. I mean, everyone is reading 50 Shades of Grey and I couldn’t stand it past the first few chapters…which is farther than I got in the first Twilight book.

The movie itself was way better done than some of the other book franchise movie adaptations.

All in all, from one layman movie critic to the rest of the world…

See the movie. Judge for yourself. Don’t be influenced by reviews.

Go. See The Hunger Games. In theaters March 23rd.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

My Thought Today About Raising My Children

March 21st, 2012

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Timid and shy. Afraid to voice my honest opinion for fear of judgement or hurting feelings.

That USED to be me. Well, when I was younger. It was a little bit of an issue in my teen years. Although, I had a mind of my own and always did what I felt like doing, sometimes to my parents dismay.

My opinion changed constantly. Most likely it was depending on who I was hanging out with at the moment.

While I dared to be different in so many ways, I was also afraid to voice differences of opinion. I think I was worried about getting into any type of fight with my friends and I thought if I said I believed along the lines of whatever it was they were saying, then I avoided any type of controversy or any type of confrontation.

I wasn’t a conformist, not really. I was just more, like, a passive-aggressivist.

I’ve mentioned this before but, my Mom always preached to me and my sister…ALWAYS ask for what you want, the worse thing that can happen is you’ll be told no.

It wasn’t until I got to be an adult, a mother, that I really began living those words. To the fullest.

It is part of who I am now. It’s part of how I live my life. Because if I don’t ask, I’ll never know the answer.

Also, I embrace my opinion now. I embrace the fact that my opinion sometimes changes, depending on my mood.

It’s MY opinion.

I still don’t want to hurt feelings. I’m still not comfortable with confrontation.

BUT…

That’s totally fine.

It’s so important to me that my kids see that it’s OK to be true to who you feel you are meant to be. Because, I feel they see it, they know it and they live it.

They are so much of who I was and who I am.

I’m so proud of that. Of them.

They have opinions and they aren’t afraid to argue them, even if they arguments make no sense and they realize it.

They ask for things and they aren’t afraid of being told no. They may not like it but they aren’t worried about it.

They know, even though they don’t always apply it, that you have to work hard for what you want. Things don’t fall into your lap, even though it sometimes looks like it does. We all work hard for what we’ve earned.

They watch it every day with their father and myself.

They are who I wished I was at their age.

They are strong. Proud. Beautiful. Amazing.

They are people that I am so thankful to have in my life.

They are the kind of kids that I would have wanted to be friends with.

They are the kind of kids that I’d want my kids to hang out with.

Sure, I’m impressed with my handiwork.

But what’s more impressive to me is what they’re becoming through what they’re learning. Beyond their traditional education.

And they are still forming. Still growing. Developing stronger.

I can’t wait to see what happens in a few years, when everything begins to truly fall into place for them.

And it WILL happen for them.

Whatever it is that they want to happen for them

Without a doubt.

We all had good teachers!!

An Open Letter To The 20-Something Year Olds

March 16th, 2012

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Last night, I went out to dinner with a good friend of mine. We’ll call her Loree, for the sake of a name. We went to one of our regular hangouts, Uptown Grille. So yummy there, by the way. Every weeknight, they have specials. Wednesday are 1/2 off wine, which I’m very familiar with. Thursdays…Date Night. For $49 you get a bottle of wine, an appetizer, 2 salads, 2 entrees and a dessert. So, “Loree” and I went on a date. It was delish.

Anyways, our table was practically on top of another table where two young girls were sitting. And by young, I mean early twenties.

We spent much of our evening eavesdropping on the conversation they were having. And by the end, I told “Loree” that a post to 20-somethings everywhere is a MUST on my to-do list.

So, here it is…

Dear 20-Something Girls,

You have your whole life ahead of you. Why are you in such a hurry to grow up and take on the responsibilities of adults?

ENJOY your life.

You’re in a relationship where you don’t trust the guy? Dump the dude. Really. There are a million of trustworthy guys out there waiting to be discovered by you. Instead, you’re too busy obsessing over this one.

Stop it.

If he is withholding sex from you now? Trust me, he’ll withhold it for longer periods of time the longer you date. And if you get married, you can kiss sex goodbye.

The little signs these guys show you while your dating become who they really are once you are married. Take heed to those warnings. They are there for a reason.

If you feel the need to check his text messages or emails while he is in the shower because there are periods of time that he is unable to account for and you are trying to fill in the blanks…

Leave.

Those periods of time he is unwilling to share with you are spent with a)the guys doing something wrong or b)another woman…which is so many shades of wrong. Either way, when your 20-something man is a sneaky son of a bitch, chances are he’ll grow into a 30, 40, 50 year old and beyond major prick.

Who needs that and the venereal diseases that go along with it?

I just want to shake you girls to wake you up.

You’re settling. That’s the bottom line. And you shouldn’t be. You have so much more to offer than to settle for the backwash on the bottom of a beer can.

Why can’t you see it?

We listen to our younger-selves talk at the table next to us. So many of us wish our older selves would come along and smack the silly out of us. Well, I’m your 43 year old self and that’s what I want to do. Upside your head with your boyfriends dubiously clean penis.

Girls…because that’s what early 20′s still basically is…

As my uncle used to say, “why be in a hurry, who needs the ticket.”

Let me tell you, the fine for that ticket is huge. So many huges (totally a word). Diseases. Beaten down self image. Divorce. Single parent to the child(ren) of a deadbeat dad. Or, OK, maybe he’ll be a good dad but you’re still a single parent now because he’s off with the last girl he cheated on you with.

Use your heads, girls. Not your vaginas.

Sex is sex no matter what, good or bad, it’s sex. Guys aren’t all the same. Really. If you know your self-worth, you’ll find one that you can trust with all your soul. The one that you have so many issues with, leave him for the other girls who have the same issues as those guys…they deserve each other. Let them check each others emails and texts. Let them swap diseases.

You are better than that. I can hear it in your voice when you cry to your friend, your dinner companion. You sound like you have goals. Aspirations. You work hard. You are trying to make a life for yourself.

Cut loose the shackles of those guys who hold you back.

Find one that lets you spread your wings as wide as you want to fly as high as you want.

You’re so young. SO YOUNG.

Life goes way, way too fast to stay stuck in a mistake.

Because before you know it, you’re going to find your 43 year old self out to dinner with a friend, eavesdropping on the conversations of 20-somethings. You’ll be inwardly groaning at their words, the whole time thinking to yourself the exact same things I was thinking last night.

Another thing I think you need to know is, if someone is completely untrusting, it’s because they don’t trust themselves. So maybe look inward too. Maybe it’s not him? Maybe it’s you. Think about it.

As for the rest of your life, not including the dude, breathe. Enjoy the little things. Right now, there are so many little things you SHOULD be enjoying. So do it. As you get older, the little things sometimes come farther and fewer between. No worries, they are still there, just different.

Be selfish. Right now, in this stage of your life, it’s about you. You are building up YOUR life, setting it in play for the future. Avoid certain roadblocks.

Play hard. Work hard too. Enjoy your time without any commitments, soon enough you’ll have more than you’ll know what to do with.

SLOW DOWN. Women these days are getting married and having children so much later in life. For a reason. We are taking charge of our own lives and not relying on the man anymore. It’s empowering.

To be in my 20′s again would be amazing. The changes I would make, knowing what I know now. Instead, I’m treating my 40′s as the new 20′s but with all those life commitments that come along with the 40′s.

You’re young. Be young. Whenever you can. Hang on to it, savor it. Own it.

Be secure in who you are and what you have to offer, only then you’ll find the man that you want this one to be.

Signed,
The 40-something y/o woman sitting next to you who is almost old enough to be your grandmother.

image: google: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92119253@N00/