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Beauty Bus Foundation Event Today!

beauty_bus_foundation_117 I can’t wait to join everyone at the Beauty bus foundation event today. Makeovers and beauty treatments are not just ego boosters they have tremendous mental and emotional healing powers. Join me!!!

The Beauty Bus Foundation, a non-profit organization that delivers dignity, hope and respite to chronically or terminally ill men, women, children and their caregivers through beauty treatments and pampering products, will host their 4th annual Beauty Drive fundraising event on May 5, 2013 at the Big Lab at the Annenberg Building at the California Science Center. This Cinco de Mayo inspired affair will showcase what Beauty Bus Foundation clients experience in a fun and interactive way. Individual companies will host “Beauty Stations” and offer services and products for attendees. The silent auction will feature sought-after items from world-renowned beauty, fashion, entertainment, sports and lifestyle companies. The event will also feature a signature Men’s Lounge with haircuts and MAN-icures, and for the first time a Kids’ Korner, making it a family affair. To top it off guests will leave with a gift bag filled with the best in beauty and an opportunity to view the Space Shuttle Endeavor in a semi-private setting.
Attached is the press release. General admission tickets are $150 for adults and $50 for kids.

Kerri Zane – Emmy Award Winning TV Producer/Advisor

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Single Moms: 5 Tips to Keep the Honeymoon Phase Alive

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Remember that feeling you had when you and your special someone first started dating? That great butterfly feeling when everything was so new and fresh? Sadly, the loss of that feeling often leads to break-ups. And as some single moms know, the loss of that flame often becomes a major factor in the spiral that leads to divorce. So once you have been in a relationship for so long, how do you relive those wonderful butterfly feelings and bring that spark back?

Women’s Health Magazine recently published an article with 5 great tips on making that honeymoon phase last. Whether you have been in a relationship for a few months, a few years, or are still looking for your real one, these tips will help teach you how to have a successful relationship.

1. Mix Up Date Night

Do something new and exciting with your man! When you do something that is physiologically arousing your body associates that feeling with your environment and who you are with. So do something fun and different – try out the latest mud run craze or play an intense game of laser tag to mix things up a bit.

2. See Things a New Way

If you and your guy get into a fight, try to look at the situation from an outside, neutral perspective. Women’s Health recommends writing out a neutral assessment of how things went down to take a more balanced approach to the situation. This third-party assessment is a powerful reminder of the honeymoon phase.

3. Schedule Sex

Sex is necessary in a happy, healthy relationship. According to the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, couples that have regular sex are 65% more likely to be happy. So have sex! Make time for it in your schedule and share that romance with your guy once again.

4. Keep the Mystery Alive

Studies have shown that attraction relies on constant and lasting discovery of your partner. So keep the mystery alive by giving your partner space. Don’t text or call constantly! Instead, wait until you are physically together and share your experiences after some time apart.

5. Get Physical

Exercise boosts your sex drive! Not only that, but it clears your mind and makes you feel good. So get out there, get some exercise, and let the honeymoon phase take over once again!

I hope you find these tips helpful! Please share any other tips that you can think of or how these tips worked for you and your relationship.

Cheers!

Single Moms: Keep Kids Safe While Traveling with CallMeCuffs

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Are you the mom that writes your cellphone number on your child’s arm before outing to a crowded location? Teri Carcano was one of those moms and knew that there had to be a better way to display her contact information on her child in case they were separated. That’s when CallMeCuffs was born!

CallMeCuffs are one-time use, fashionable, durable, waterproof ID wristbands for children. They are customized with your cellphone number and any medical/allergy information. They are the perfect accessory for families that travel and go on lots of outings.

Nothing replaces holding your child’s hand and keeping all eyes on deck, but CallMeCuffs offers parents peace of mind when they are out and about at amusement parks, museums, airports, zoos, shopping malls, etc. As parents, and especially as single parents, we know that anything can happen so it’s always nice to have backup.

CallMeCuffs come in packs of 12 (for $14.95) or 28 (for $24.95) and can be left in your diaper bag or purse for quick use. They are made from soft, eco-friendly material, making it a easy to slip them on your son/daughter and throw them away at the end of the day. They even come in a variety of cool colors and styles that your children will love.

Another great benefit of investing in CallMeCuffs? 10% of net proceeds from the product will go to support charitable organizations dedicated to children!

How to Drive Safely in Winter with Little Ones

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With frigid temperatures and stormy conditions forecasted in many areas across the nation this winter season, the General Motors Foundation and Safe Kids Worldwide, partners for 15 years, want all single moms to remember a few key driving safety tips – especially if you’re planning on travelling with the little ones in tow.

Julie Kleinert, North American Child Safety Technical Lead for General Motors, a mother of four and grandmother of two, and Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide and a single mom of three, have teamed up to develop a list of tips carefully designed to keep you and your kids safe on the roads this winter season

1. Avoid Bulky Winter Clothes. We know you want your little ones to be warm this winter season, but please don’t strap your child into a car seat with a bulky coat as it can affect the ability of your car seat to do its job. A bulky coat can compress in a crash and create a loose car seat harness, putting your child at greater risk of injury in the unlikely event of a crash. To properly secure your child, the harness straps must be snug and close to their body.

Make sure your child’s harness is adjusted correctly year-round by using the “pinch test,” which is the best way to make sure your child is secure. First, remove bulky clothing and blankets. Make sure the harness straps are adjusted to the correct height – they should be at or just below the child’s shoulders when they ride rear-facing, and at or just above the child’s shoulders when they are forward-facing. Then buckle and tighten the harness straps. Place the chest clip at armpit level. Now pinch the strap at your child’s shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any excess webbing, you’re good to go.

2. Ensure Comfort and Safety at the Same Time. So how do you keep your little one warm and safe? Remove bulky coats and snowsuits before putting your child in their car seat or opt for outerwear that is not as heavy like a lightweight fleece or hoodie. To keep your child warm and toasty after you remove the bulky coat, you can use a blanket (or even the removed coat) placed over the tightened car seat harness. It also helps to warm the car up before leaving – those remote car starters are pretty nice and make a great holiday gift.

3. Check your Tailpipe. Before you get in your car, do a quick walk-around and check to make sure your tailpipe is not blocked with snow. A simple check can ensure you won’t have any problems with carbon monoxide, which is dangerous.

4. Prepare for Mother Nature. You never know when you might get stuck in the cold and snow, so always have an emergency bag stocked in your car. Be sure to include necessities like baby food or formula, water, diapers, extra blankets and a spare set of warm clothing. You’ll probably never need it but it’s nice to have just in case.

5. Watch Out for Sleds. One of the great things about snow is the chance to go sledding. And kids will do it anywhere, anytime, often cruising right into the street. That creates one more thing to look for when you’re driving. A few ways to be prepared are to slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones, turn on your headlights earlier in the day if your car is not equipped with daytime running lamps, and, as always, reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

6. Buckle Up. This is an “all-weather” tip. We know that when adults wear seat belts, kids wear seat belts. So be a good example and buckle up for every trip. Your kids are safer in a crash when everyone in the vehicle is buckled up.

Tricks to Make New Years Resolutions Stick

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How to Use your Hormones to Help you Lose Weight

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Single mom’s understanding your hormones, how they are activated and what you can do to keep them under control can be the difference between living up to that age old weight reduction New Year’s resolution with success or holding on to those extra five for another season. There are a zillion diet plans, spas and great resorts like the Biggest Loser Resorts, but understanding your body and how it metabolizes your food intake is essential in winning your war on weight gain.

Cortisol and Serotonin

When a bad day at the office has you reaching for a greasy, salty, cheesy treat it could be a result of your adrenal glands releasing the stress hormone cortisol. The response is meant to give you a burst of energy for fight or flight and some evidence indicates cortisol could be the reason you’re accumulating fat in your belly. Serotonin on the other hand calms you down and suppresses your appetite. That’s why your appetite wanes after a good workout. You can also accomplish the same result loading up on folate rich lentils, asparagus and spinach. Your brain uses the vitamin B in these foods to make serotonin. My favorite trick is to add a handful of spinach to my morning scramble.

Irisin

Irisin is a recently discovered hormone that is produced in our muscle tissue and released during exercise helps convert white fat (the kind that makes us retain weight) into brown fat, the kind that burns calories. Exercise is the key. In a recent study, irisin levels doubled after a 10 week training program. Another interesting way to increase irisin is to lower your thermostat. People who spent two hours in a 64 degree room and periodically dipped their feet in ice water had their brown fat burning 15 times more calories. I always believed that my muscles were working overtime when my body is chilled..now I know for a fact it’s true!

Insulin

Super-sizing your intake of carb heavy meals or super sugary drinks will spike your insulin which pulls the extra glucose from your bloodstream. Over do it and the insulin can cause the extra calories to be stored as fat (the white kind). The extra weight in turn can lead to insulin resistance which in turn leads to more fat storage and ultimately diabetes. Cutting out sugary sodas and amping up your intake of whole grains and fiber which slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream will even out the insulin response. Spacing out your meals and snacks so you eat smaller portions more frequently is a great way to maintain consistent levels of glucose and insulin

Hidden Hormones

Single Mom’s did you know that hormones aren’t just produced by our bodies? As reported in the December edition of Women’s Health Magazine, you will find them in the most surprising places.

1. Beauty Products – Many cosmetics, shampoos and household cleaning products contain chemicals called phthalates to help scents last. Exposure to high levels of this ingredient has been linked to being overweight.

2. Canned foods – Many cans are lined with an estrogen-like chemical called bisphenol A (BPA). High acid foods like tomatoes can cause the chemical to leach into the contents. Look for BPA-free cans or alternative packaging.

3. Nonstick cookware – Girls born to women with the highest levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) during pregnancy were three times as likely to be overweight than those whose moms had the lowest levels. Use cast iron or stainless steel pans instead.

Single Moms: Better Safe Than Sorry! Why You Should Have a Child Safe Kit…

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A friend of mine has a son who works for a life insurance company, which basically delivers free benefits to union workers and awesome low prices for life insurance coverage. Over the weekend, she was telling me about how she helped her son put up “Child Safe Kit” boxes up in local businesses. I’ve seen boxes like those in a few grocery stores and some local stores before, but never thought much about actually filling out a form to receive one when the girls were little, because I automatically assumed that I’ll be sold something– usually, things aren’t just “free”. Apparently, while some agents do the ‘bait n’ switch’ and make you believe you’re “just getting the kit” (when they’re really coming over to sell you on insurance), the kits are a good thing, and you don’t necessarily have to go through an agent to get one. And they’re free!

From what I understand, these kits get the time it takes to put out an Amber Alert down from about two hours down to about twenty to thirty minutes, heaven forbid anything should ever happen. The kits have spaces to put all of your child’s info down, including a photo– parents are urged to put their kid’s information down in pencil so that they can update it every year with a new school photo and new heights/weights. The kits even come with an ink strip for fingerprints. As a parent, and especially as a single mom, I know it’s hard to even imagine anything happening to your child… and I think that’s part of why parents don’t like to take precautions like this– it’s just too hard to think about. However, I can imagine that it takes a huge weight off of a parent’s shoulders once they do, as they know that they would have a very valuable, concrete tool in case anything were to ever happen.

One of the most interesting things my friend told me about the kit (apparently, her son practiced the presentation on her about a hundred times– she could sell the things herself), was that it suggests not to write your child’s name on the outside of their backpacks, lunchboxes, jackets, etc., because it makes it easier for a stranger to approach your child and say something like, “Hi, Johnny! Your mom asked me to pick you up today! I’m her friend!”, and other things along those lines. And of course, always make sure that your child is clear on what to do in case you are ever separated in a crowd– whatever system you come up with should be easy to understand and reiterated regularly on outings.

The Child Safe Kit site lets you order a kit for free and gives you helpful tips on how to approach this subject with your child without sounding too scary, and lets you preview the kit. I would recommend this to any parent with a young child– especially with Halloween coming up. Better safe than sorry, right?

Single Moms: Take The Journey

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Let your lovemaking become a metaphor for this new life you are rescripting. In this sense,
go to bed with the intention of journeying with your lover to a deeper level of connection[...] take the time to fully
experience a leisurely and pleasurable adventure that involves every one of your senses.

-It Takes All 5: The Single Mom’s Guide to Finding the REAL One

First of all, for those of you who came out last night to my Girls Night Out at Tantalum in Long Beach, thank you so much! I am so happy to have spent my night with you lovely ladies and I hope you left feeling happy and refreshed.

The little snippet above is from my book, and the key phrase in there is “the intention of journeying”.Life is not linear, and neither is love– and neither one should be looked at as means to an end. Life and love, when experienced authentically, feel like a state of meditation… they are grounding, they are a moment of stillness, they are states of awareness. What are the obstacles in the way of being in that meditative state? The most common hindrance is fear, which can be disguised as shyness, anger or avoidance in life and relationships. When we deal with this fear, the opposite shows up, which is love. Fear often makes us go through the motions, because when we do things without any heart put into them, there’s no heart to get broken. But here’s the trick: If we would just drop our fear and act through love, there is no getting hurt, because “hurt” is a word that only our ego knows– love doesn’t know hurt. When we act with expectation, with caution, with coldness, we’re simply protecting ourselves from rejection. But when we act and love authentically, we don’t need it to be reciprocated down to the very last drop what we put out, we don’t need to protect oursleves because we fully accept who we are, and we don’t need to be cold or act tough because we are confident enough to mean what we say and what we feel without shame. This is the mindset you need for the journey. This mindset makes everything from going to work to making love an authentic, loving experience.

Tonight, decide that you don’t want every day to be exactly the same as the last. Decide that you want to see your life and your new or potential partner wth new eyes every day. Decide that you accept yourself, and therefore, have an abundance of love spilling over in your heart to give out to the people around you and to your partner. Experience this with every part of yourself! Fully take the journey– be present to the best of your ability and watch your entire life bloom in full color like you’ve never seen it before.

Single Moms: Save Money on Your Child’s Halloween Costume

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If you haven’t heard it a hundred times already today from your little ones, Halloween is coming up! Every Friday I try to give all of you wonderful single moms some helpful tips on how to save some money here and there, so today I thought it would be fitting to give you some tips on how to save on a Halloween costume without resorting to the awful cut-out, trash-bag ghost costume or trying to force last year’s costume on your trick-or-treater this year.

Money-Saving Costume Tips

1. Trade! Does your child have some cousins near his age ,or a little bit older or younger? Close friends? Ask if you can trade costumes! And if you have more than one child, ask them if they’re okay with a hand-me-down. If not, then…

2. Thrift stores! I know some people are completely opposed to shopping at them, but I promise you that thoroughly washing anything you buy makes it safe. If your child is only going to wear this costume ONCE, being thrifty won’t hurt if the extra funds really aren’t there this year.

3. DIY costumes. Halloween stores have made it possible to mix and match accessories to build your own costume. You can buy fabric paint at craft stores among other cool fabric accessories, and if you’re really crafty and can sew, you know that fabric itself is very inexpensive if you want to take that route. With a DIY costume, you can get some pieces at a Halloween store, maybe some from a thrift store, borrow someone else’s old Halloween stuff, and combine it all to make your own.

Don’t feel pressure to buy a brand new full costume this year if money is tight! Kids are easy to please as long as you keep it fun and present the costume hunt like a fun activity rather than a huge chore or expense when you know that the extra cash for the holiday is low. Try as much as you can to stick to your kid’s wishes for what he wants his costume to be, but don’t feel bad suggesting some fun DIY ideas to make it happen. They’ll be one of a kind! Watching my daughters and their friends grow up, some of the best costumes I ever saw were DIY projects… And, goodness knows, between my two girls we had enough costumes to rent out to everyone on the block if they had asked. So don’t be afraid to ask around and see if anyone wants to trade… your friends and family might be relieved that you asked!