The title of this post says it all.

Oh, not like hot, hot…like sweaty hot. All the time.

I have always been this way. Even when I was skinny I didn’t find much use for winter clothes.

This makes working out…well, messy. I run (okay, jog) three times a week and for a long, long time I have worn old t-shirts that could be thrown into the washer with a cup of bleach. There was even one time when my bootcamp instructor saw my shirt that was so drenched with sweat that she called it “disgustingly awesome”.

So, when Jockey asked if I wanted to try their new staycool collection, I was pretty skeptical. I don’t stay cool. Ever.

They sent me lots of different products to try; a reversible tank top, a reversible t-shirt, bikini underwear and modern brief underwear, all with a claim that the technologically advanced fabric (originally developed to absorb body heat for astronauts) would help keep me 3 degrees cooler. My husband and I get into huge arguments about ONE degree on our thermostat. Three degrees is a huge deal.

I tried the underwear first. Again, I was skeptical because without getting too personal, I am really picky about my underwear. Get it? Picky. Okay, there, I got personal anyway.

But, these underwear don’t ride up. Did you read that? Not even while jogging. And, they ARE cool. There was a noticeable difference…ahem…down there.

I wore the reversible tank top next. I spend a lot of time sitting on the side of ball fields during the summer while both of my kids play sports. It gets sunny, hot and humid. I figured that if I ever needed to be 3 degrees cooler, it was on one of those days.

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I stayed cool. Like, REALLY. There wasn’t a single, visible mark of sweat on my shirt, despite a blazing sun that left my legs and shoulders quite sunburned. I told my husband that the staycool fabric is “like being in your own skin” and it really is.

Jockey wants you to stay cool too. That’s why THREE lucky winners will receive a coupon code good for one top and one bottom style of Jockey staycool products!

Just leave a comment on this post (with a valid email address) by noon EST on Saturday, July 16th and you will be entered to win! It’s that easy! Three winners will be chosen at random.

I was provided free Jockey staycool products in exchange for this review. I was not instructed what to say and the opinions are all mine.

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As a busy mom, with two kids, two dogs and two jobs, I am always wishing there were more hours in a day.  I can’t tell you how often I climb into bed late, already thinking about how I should get up early because my “to do” list is so long.  And, if I’m not thinking about it then, I start thinking about it when I wake up over and over during the night.

I’m not trying to solve world peace here, I’m just trying to make sure there are bowls clean so that the kids can eat cereal before school, or that I’ve made it to the grocery store and that they have the cereal to eat.  I wish for more hours because my daughter’s softball uniform is filthy and she has a game the next day, or because no one in the house has any clean underwear.

That last sentence?  Well, that’s why I wept when I read about Samsung’s Super-Capacity Powerfoam Washer and their Biggest Capacity Dryer.  I’m not kidding. Can you imagine what being able to wash 28 bath towels IN ONE LOAD would mean to a person like me?  It would mean so much.  So very much.

My current washer and dryer are the first washer and dryer I ever bought…and I just turned 40.  They are older than my kids, older than my marriage and older than the dirt I try to get out of my son’s pants.

Oh, they still work okay…if it weren’t for the LOUD noises they make and for the fact that it takes me three days to do a week’s worth of laundry.  My washer had the largest capacity for sale in 1995, but it still can’t fit my thin, king-size quilt.  That means I get to make special trips to the laundromat so I can wash bedding.  Guess how much time that takes.  It takes a lot.

So, yeah, I may have cried a little out of pure want and desire.  The idea that it’s even possible to wash and dry so many clothes at once and not be a slave to my basement steps…sigh.

It’s not just the large capacity, but also the Steam Cycle on the Powerfoam Washer that helps to rid your clothes of stubborn stains.  No pre-treating!  Holla!

And, the dream of a front-load dryer has a Steam Refresh setting to freshen clothes AND a Steam Wrinkle Away setting to reduce ironing!  If you’re not weeping yet, then you don’t have kids who wear uniforms to school.  I have an intimate relationship with my iron.  Unfortunately.

The capabilities of this high-powered pair astound me.  They make me long for the day when I can haul my 16 year old washer and dryer to the curb.

They also got me thinking about what I wish other appliances could do to make my life easier.

I mean, if the Samsung Super-Capacity Powerfoam Washer can wash 28 bath towels, why can’t my refrigerator make me dinner?

Look, I’m going to admit it.  Maybe I watched too many episodes of The Jetsons, but I have always wanted a refrigerator that has a secret, side door where I can store a baking dish with a casserole, chicken, lasagna…or maybe brownies.  Then I could set a timer and the compartment would go from chilling the food to cooking it, convection-oven style.

I think it would be great to come home and not have to worry about getting dinner in the oven.  There are only so many things you can make in a Crock Pot (see brownies, above paragraph).

Really, if Samsung has created this powerful washer and dryer, the possibilities are limitless.  I just know it.

Someday I won’t have to lose sleep because my to-do list is so long.  Someday.

Now, tell me what your time-saving, dream appliance would do and you can be entered to win a Best Buy giftcard for $100.00 courtesy of the folks at BlogHer!  Here’s how:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment telling me what your time-saving, dream appliance would do

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

For other chances to win, visit the Promotions & Prizes section

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older and runs from 6/8/11 – 6/30/11.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

Good luck!

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A couple of months ago, my 12 year old daughter began practices for her 7th year of organized softball.  I have seen this kid swing a lot of bats.

We have also watched her and her brother from the sidelines for track meets, golf matches, soccer, baseball and basketball games, but softball holds a special place in my heart.  Maybe that’s because it was the first sport she ever played.

Maybe it’s because I’ve watched her grow from a tiny 5 year old, playing in the dirt of the infield to standing on the mound sending fast-pitches across the plate.  Of course, for every strike-out she’s pitched, there has been a walk.

Maybe it’s the smell of the fresh cut grass on the fields where her summer league plays, or the feel of the warm, June sun on my face.  Though, I can’t forget the times we’ve huddled under the shelter houses as torrential rains fell from the sky or the blazing heat of July tournaments either.

Come to think of it, for every cold drink that has refreshed me while watching her on the field, there has been a heavy cooler to lug from the parking lot.  For every lawn chair I have sat in, there is a broken one that was shoved into one of the steel trash cans behind the dugout.

Softball spans two seasons.  Ohio seasons.  March to July in Ohio is like Alaska to the Death Valley.  We go from coats and blankets to flip flops and snow cones (and, recently, back to coats again).

In every way, watching my daughter play softball is a case study in opposites.

One way or another, it all equals out.  For every grounder that gets past the infield, there is a pop-up caught by an outfielder.  For every girl forced out, there is a base stolen.

Being a Sports Mom means making sure there is equal proportion in everything she does, on and off the field.  Whether it’s getting homework done so she can get to practice on time or the fine line between cheering for teammates and good sportsmanship, there has to be balance.

In no area is this more apparent than in nutrition and hydration for my young athlete.  If my daughter hasn’t had the right amount of protein or if she didn’t properly fuel and hydrate before game play, I see it in her performance.  Likewise, too much to eat or not drinking the right fluids can have the same effect.

I insist that she eat a light snack with complex carbs and protein (1/2 a natural peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread) and that she hydrate about an hour before a game.  During play, she can chew gum and drink water or Gatorade (the amount depends on her level of fluid loss).  Sometimes there is a bag of peanuts laying on the bench and that’s okay too.  But, finding the balance is vital.

This is just one reason I’m thankful for Gatorade Moms.  It is a perfect site for us parents who are looking for nutrition information for optimal conditioning and health, inspiration from other moms who know what it’s like to share the sideline and advice from experts.  It’s like a Mom’s dugout!

Through Gatorade, I was even able to speak with Stephanie Hamm, the mother of Mia Hamm who is widely recognized as the best women’s soccer player in the world. Before Mia became the youngest women to ever play for the U.S. National Team at the age of 15, she was a kid trying out different sports, being shuttled back and forth to practices and whose mother was trying to find balance just like me.

I love having the opportunity to work with companies whose products I really believe in and Gatorade is one of them.  There is no high fructose corn syrup, it replaces electrolytes, it hydrates and it tastes good.  I drink it every time I work out too.

BlogHer believes in Gatorade and the Gatorade Moms site so much that they wanted me to not only have you check out the valuable content, but also give one lucky reader a $100.00 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods!

Here are the rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment telling me what is the biggest challenge you face in trying to balance your kids’ sports or your own exercise routine. Is it hard to find time for healthy meals?  Have you had to deal with injuries?  Is it hard for you to cheer for your child without being too critical?  Do you have kids who have to be in two places (or more) at the same time?

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older and runs from 6/1/2011 to 6/30/2011. For additional chances to win, visit the BlogHer Prizes & Promotions section.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Visit the Official Rules

And for all of you Sports Moms, good luck finding the balance!

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I have been trying to be a better shopper lately when it comes to choosing food for my family.  I make a lot of purchases in the organic section and whenever I can, I choose items that are locally grown.

Being more food conscious made me especially excited when I was offered a chance to check out a new restaurant here in Columbus, called Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe.

The press release promised an experience like none other, with fresh ingredients like Ohio Amish Cheese and real, Vermont Pure Maple Syrup, farm-fresh, real, cracked eggs (not a mix or substitute).  AND, they don’t fry their bacon.  They BAKE it.

Their kitchen has “no can openers, microwaves, fryers, trans fats, or MSG”…not even for the French fries.  Everything is oven baked.

But, while all of those things made me want to eat there, what really caught my interest was that the restaurant is located inside the Honeybaked Ham store on Sawmill Road.  Yes, that’s right.  Melt-in-your-mouth, Honeybaked Ham.  SOLD!

My family and I visited the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon and we were quickly greeted and seated, then brought warm, fresh-baked, crumb cake with maple butter.  By the time I got my camera out, my son had almost finished his.  Though, in his defense, I had to wipe the maple butter off of my fingers first.

It was a cold, rainy day (also known as Ohio in the springtime), so I ordered the kids some hot chocolate.  It arrived at the perfect temperature, with thick, homemade whipped cream on top, then drizzled with chocolate syrup.  It was delicious and, admittedly, the kids had to fight to keep me from emptying the content of their mugs into my belly.

We arrived around 1:00, so we settled on the lunch menu.  I ordered a Hawaiian Wrap (Honeybaked Ham, Amish Baby Swiss Cheese, Pineapple Slaw, baby greens and tomato).  Yum.

My daughter ordered an Ultimate Club and the waitress looked at her like she had three heads (in a totally nice way), then she took pity on my daughter’s stomach and suggested, “Maybe you should just get half of one.”

My husband also ordered the Ultimate Club and my son ordered a very reasonably priced kid’s meal that consisted of a Honeybaked Ham and Cheese sandwich and waffle fries.

When our food arrived (and this was the only part of the visit that was remotely unpleasant…it took a long time to get our food) I understood why the waitress had given my daughter that look.

This was my wrap.

This picture is lacking perspective, so let me just tell you that half of this wrap was as big as my face and the half Club that my daughter ordered was at least as much food as a full portion at most restaurants.  Between the four of us, we left with two full containers of leftovers.  (I enjoyed the other half of my wrap the next day and it was still just as tasty.)

It wouldn’t be fair of me to talk about delicious food and show you pictures of delicious food without offering you a chance to have some delicious food of your own, now would it?

So, here’s your chance!

I will be giving away a $25.00 gift card to one Central-Ohio reader for Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe along with a coupon to buy one entree, get one free.  Just leave a comment on this post (with a valid email address) and you will be entered to win.  A winner will be chosen on May 26th, at 5:00pm EST.

And, just so everyone has a chance to experience Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe, I am passing along this coupon.  Hurry!  It expires soon!  Enjoy!

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