Though I’m not worried about aging per se, at some point during the last decade I started listening to my mother’s advice to stop sunning and start taking better care of my skin. I’ve heard a lot of people extol the virtues of Arbonne (including a few girlfriends with lovely, creamy skin...), but it wasn’t until late in the summer that I started using Arbonne FC5 products, thanks to Michelle Lenaghan. Read on for my thoughts about Arbonne’s FC5 facial care products, as well as for information on how to get free samples and a great shopping discount.

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As a foodie and eco-enthusiast, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by a facial care collection that’s infused with fruit and vegetable extracts. (Arbonne’s FC5 collection also includes fruit and veggie infused body cleansers, body moisturizers, shampoo, and conditioner.) Really, in another life, I’d like to be the person who knows how to make homemade fruit and veggie scrubs and skin treatments from scratch.

I’ve been using the Arbonne FC5 normal/dry skin care system, which includes a hydrating cleanser + freshener infused with strawberry cell extracts, SPF20 day lotion infused with kiwi cell extracts, and moisturizing night crème infused with mango cell extracts. The cleanser is very gentle (no eye irritation!) and somewhat lotion-like in consistency. The day lotion and night crème both apply smoothly and absorb well with no greasy residue, and I especially love how soft my skin feels after applying the night crème. And all of the products smell yummy; when chatting with fellow beauty obsessed friends, I’ve described FC5 as fruit salad for your face.

As I mentioned above, these products feel very gentle, and when I first started testing them out in the late summer, I actually thought that they were unremarkable, in the sense that I wasn't seeing major changes in my skin. However, I did like the composition of the products so I kept using them. Then, as the weather has grown colder it dawned on me that my skin has not been drying out like it usually does when the temperature drops. It made me think back to my summer facial at Rosaline’s Skin Care & Spa, during which Rosaline said my skin looked normal and in good shape but that I probably would want to come back once the weather got cold and I started drying out. At that time I nodded in agreement; my skin always dries out and gets flaky when it gets cold. And this fall, for comparison, when it's been cold, I have experienced this dryness in my hands and lips, but not on my face. Sweet!

Also excellent: Arbonne products are vegan certified and formulated without PABA, petroleum based ingredients, animal products or animal by-products, or formaldehyde donating preservatives. They also are committed to green production and packaging. (Further green details can be found here and here.)

In a nutshell, I love how well FC5 is keeping my face hydrated and free of dry flakiness. Now I just need to look into similarly hydrating products for my poor hands and lips...

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Michelle Lenaghan is happy to provide FC5 samples to you fabulous readers. Simply e-mail your mailing address to her at michellelenaghan@verizon.net and tell her I sent you. And if you want to shop Arbonne, Michelle is offering a 20% discount on products when you mention Boston Mamas. Again, e-mail her to redeem this offer.

A few weeks ago I experienced a rather unusual night of party hopping that included seeing John Ondrasik (aka. Five for Fighting) live at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. In addition to being utterly moved by the musical experience itself, I also was touched by John’s clear love for his family (exemplified when he explained the inspiration for various songs). Thanks to the lovely Barbara Jones, I met John after the show, at which time he kindly offered to pen a guest blog post on Boston Mamas. In particular, I was curious about John’s best strategies for staying connected with his family while on the road; an issue I discuss with many parents who travel for work. Read on for John's advice on this topic:

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From John Ondrasik:

I have the two best jobs in the world. Around 8pm every night I realize my childhood dream as a touring singer/songwriter. The gig takes me to venues across the country and allows me to share a common experience with old fans and new. When it works, there's nothing better. Well, there's one thing better, and that's my other job...Daddy.

As a father to a nine-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter, I'm smack in the parental golden age and I know it! And here's the rub: with two amazing, inquisitive, competitive, and (mostly) innocent no longer babies, it's rough being on the road, again.

Many families face this reality, especially our troops, who are away from home for months on end. We mom’s and dad’s learn to treasure every car pool wait line, soccer net take down, and late night burger run. I was asked if I have any tips for my fellow parental road warriors. Here are a few:

1. Believe the Skype! Video conferencing is as crucial to the traveling parent as the babysitter is to the work-at-homer. Being able to see as well as talk to Daddy is huge for my kids’ psyches. I try to call around the same time each night and spend both group and one-on-one time. My daughter enjoys a tour of my hotel room and my son digs the up close eyeball-in-the-camera gag. Skype also is free once you have an Internet connection, so set up the monopoly board and buy some houses!

2. Pen Pals. Exchange the written word! I get more insight into my children’s lives through their letters than any conversation. It’s cathartic for both sides and sneaky bonus writing practice. E-mails are fine but throw in some handwritten letters as well. They can be re-read when needed, and age better than your favorite Amarone.

3. Stay Engaged. When I’m out for weeks at a time I have my wife send me the kids’ homework and art projects. With technology I can get same day video files of the kids’ games and recitals. Though it’s not the same as being there it brings me closer to home and helps them focus on times tables and piano practice.

4. Bring ‘Em! On short trips sometimes I’ll bring one of my kids, even pulling them out of school if it’s just a day jaunt. Not only do they get a sense of Daddy’s job and see a bit of the world, it’s an adventure and treasured alone time. (And make sure Mommy gets her turn too!)

Whatever the tech or the trick, there’s no perfect answer for road dogs with puppies. We’re like anyone else and just miss our kids! For me, I don’t tour as much these days. I’m lucky to have that choice, because these golden ages are only gold, once.

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John Ondrasik is the singer/songwriter behind the multi-platinum Five for Fighting. His new album Slice is good for kids of all ages.

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I am grateful to Barbara Jones for coordinating this guest blog and to friend and fellow concert attendee Jodi Grundig for providing the photo of me and John.

I’ve always been a fan of the diaper bag that doesn’t look like a diaper bag, and if you share that aesthetic, you’ll no doubt dig the modern simplicity of baby star’s Rock the Tote diaper bag. Available in a cool collection of metallics (with pretty patterned contrast lining) and prints, these bags offer a simple silhouette and a functional interior including three storage pockets (one zipped) plus a coordinating changing pad and BPA-free wipe case. Both bag styles are formaldehyde- and azo-free. And for our Giveaway Goodness series, baby star kindly is offering one lucky reader a Rock The tote diaper bag! Simply check out the rules below and enter to win by midnight, November 22.

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Alisha!
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Rules:

Leave a comment below about this giveaway to enter to win. Be sure to include your name and email in the appropriate fields so we can contact you if you win (including just first name or first name + last initial is OK).

One comment permitted per person; US entrants welcome.

Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Sunday, November 22, 2009.

*One lucky winner (drawn using Random.org) will receive a baby star Rock the Tote of their choice of style (subject to stock availability; $88 value).

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Also, for those who wish to shop now, use code 20twinkle09 for a 30% discount (expires 12/31/09) at baby star.

I remember last August reading Erin Kotecki Vest's post about her new job at BlogHer and being so jealous, even though I know Erin and I know how hard she worked to position herself for that job.

I've struggled as a working parent. I hate the commute. I hated having the little angel be the very last kid at daycare. Sometimes I was very bitter.

Somewhere, in the midst of my ruminating, I realized it's not fair and not realistic to wait for life to reach out and hand me my wishes on a platter. I realized the only person who could change my career is me.

I want to be a writer, one who spends my time thinking about real issues that matter to women (men, too, but I'll be honest -- women). One who takes time to follow current events and distill what they mean to me and to humanity. One who reads great blogs and responds to them. One who doesn't have to sneak onto Twitter and worry The Man is going to put the smackdown on my Internet access.

When Sleep Is for the Weak came out last September, I thought I was done. I thought my life would permanently change. But (as authors will tell you), it didn't. I realized there needed to be more books, that this first book was just a stepping stone, a calling card, a launching pad. I cut back to four days a week at my corporate job to have more time to write. I got my first national magazine hit in the November issue of Scholastic Parent & Child. I started selling more articles online. I started getting paid more to do what I loved. I started working on my novel, posting my work on Kindle, taking on more responsibility at BlogHer, and yes, there were a lot of days when I thought blogging might possibly be a ghetto in which I'd never get paid a living wage. People asked me why I wrote for free or nearly for free. I've made about 50 cents an hour on a good day for the past five years doing what I love.

I've pitched more ideas than I care to share that have gone nowhere. I've pitched a few that are in flux. My writing notebook is overflowing with half-baked projects, pitch ideas, lists of topics about which I mean to write. I've struggled to compartmentalize that writing into the time I have for it. I've nearly quit reading due to the time it takes to write.

That is going to change.

I've accepted a position with BlogHer as assignment editor. I start in two weeks. After five years of people asking where I'm going with this blogging thing, I finally have an answer. I'm going to funnel all the ambition, grammar geekdom, corporate organizational skills, excitement and intellectual curiosity I have into the BlogHer editorial team. The one led by Katie Couric's top four pick for most influential people (not women, people) in new media.

And I'm going to stop questioning my instincts.

Jennifer James is one of the first bloggers I met in real life, through the inaugural Disney mom bloggers mixer. She since has become a dear friend and a trusted professional confidante; someone I admire for her kindness, good karma, smart insights, and astute perspective as a long time blogger (among her many projects, she’s best known as the founder of the Mom Bloggers Club). The second in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, today Jennifer shares a collection of wonderful ideas for everyday philanthropy where you can make a difference from the comfort of your home.

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From Jennifer:

It's the season of giving and there is no shortage of requests for donations to charitable causes both in our local areas and nationwide. While someone, somewhere is in dire need of help, it seems as though the demand is higher than ever before. Many people less fortunate than us desperately need a helping hand. The sheer numbers are overwhelming to be sure, but there is a lot we can do that does not always entail writing a check.

A new book, How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist, has hit book stores just in the nick of time for the giving season. With brilliant strategies and thorough research, Nicole Boles lists a plethora of charities in which you can donate your time and talents and that will make a measurable difference in the lives of those in need.

Reading through How to be an Everyday Philanthropist I was shocked, but delighted, by the types of charities you can volunteer your time to from home. As a busy mom, these are the types of charities that piqued my interest first and may pique your interest as well:

Read This to Me: I bet you didn’t know you could read documents to the blind and all that’s required is a fax machine and a working phone. Now this is a volunteer job we could conceivably do every day to help the blind. Read more on page 9.

Guide Dogs for the Blind: Guide dogs are amazing animals. They are expertly trained and wholly devoted to their master, but did you know that as puppies they are first raised and loved in the homes of everyday families like yours and mine? I didn’t either. Essentially you and your family raise a guide dog until they have to go to training school. What a great charity to give to! Read more on pages 33 and 34.

Look Pink: If you are a hardcore digital mom like me you probably spend your fair share of time on search engines. The next time you need to look up a recipe for dinner or want to do a search for mom blogs, for example, use LookPink.com. Each search you perform automatically raises money to help fight breast cancer. Read more on page 47.

Hang Proud: It's tough being a young girl these days. Although we felt inordinate pressure to be stick thin and take cream puff courses in college, the expectation of girls to be sexy at younger ages is mind-boggling and girls still are underrepresented in science and math. That is why it is vital to mentor girls to become strong young women who are confident and love their bodies. And you guessed it, you can mentor a girl from the comfort of your own home. Through Hang Proud, you can become an e-mentor to a girl who is in desperate need of direction and a friend. Learn more on page 47.

Warm Up America: If you can crochet or knit you can help families stay warm during the bitterly cold winter months. Volunteers around the country knit everything from shawls to blankets to give to people who could genuinely use a handmade gesture to brighten their day and also keep them warm. Since 1992 volunteers have been keeping people around the world warm, from babies to women in battered shelters. Read more on page 63.

Giving to charitable causes does not always mean giving money, especially as the economy continues to do scary things to our savings accounts and discretionary income. But there are always ways of giving that utilize our skills and talents that really make a difference in the lives of others and that you can even do at home.

Learn more about charities that can benefit from your skills and devotion in How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist by Nicole Boles.

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Jennifer James is the founder of the Mom Bloggers Club and the The Mom Salon and writes about social media and mom blogging on her Tumblr blog. You can follow Jennifer on Twitter at @mombloggersclub.

Whether her nails are exposed during summer or concealed by socks and mittens during winter, Laurel loves having her nails painted; she typically wants at least four colors in one sitting. Subsequently, I only use non-toxic products and am a fan of Piggy Paint’s natural, odorless nail products. Available in a cool palette of colors, the polishes apply smoothly and are bright on application. And Piggy Paint's nail polish remover is blissfully free of stinky solvents. It takes a smidgen more time for polish to come off with the non-toxic remover (compared to the chemical-laden stuff), but those seconds are well worth it, knowing that Laurel's nails are in good hands.

Now, want to win a gift card to Piggy Paint? Here’s how:

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Brooke!
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Visit the Piggy Paint shop, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘Piggy Paint’ in the subject), and name a cool Piggy Paint color your kiddo would love to wear.

One entry permitted per person; US residents welcome to enter.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Friday, November 20, 2009.

*One lucky winner (drawn using Random.org) will receive a $15 gift code to shop at Piggy Paint.

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And if you’re ready to shop now, use coupon code BOSTON15L to receive a 15% discount at Piggy Paint (expires December 31, 2009).

I adore Melissa Massello, not only because she’s super creative and fun (plus, we share bonds over figure skating, fashion, shredding, and all things writerly), but because I’ve seen her jump from traditional employment to fulfilling her dream of launching the online magazine Shoestring Magazine, which focuses on tips for achieving the good life for less. As the first in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, today Melissa shares a strategy for prioritizing and planning holiday gifting that can result in major bargains, meaningful finds, and less stress.

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From Melisssa:

As much as it pains me to see the displays on store shelves, the white snowflakes printed on red Starbucks cups, and the wintry wonderland of Overstock.com TV commercials in late October/early November, the truth is, I've always done my holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. The hard part is keeping my finds a secret until December.

Why? Well, for a bunch of reasons, some of which might only make sense to me, but they save me time, money, and most of all, stress -- that is, when I can contain my enthusiasm for my finds. Here’s how I go about my shopping:

The Bucket List

Whether due to being sentimental or simply caught up in the spirit of the season, I tend to completely overdo it this time of year. That is, unless I make a concerted effort to distance myself, setting realistic expectations about events and making an objective, uber-organized list for gift-giving -- which I review at least three or four times over a period of weeks. I use a practice my dad calls Rocks in a Jar:

Put the Rocks (family members) in first, the Pebbles (friends, close colleagues, extended family) in second, and the Sand in last (co-workers, obligatory nice gestures). If you take the hour or two to do this, you'll absolutely have room for everything -- both financially and emotionally -- no matter your budget or busy schedule. Assign realistic dollar values for each of the three buckets and then make each of those dollars count.

A wise editor friend in NYC once told me to actually take out the cash for my entire holiday shopping budget, then stash a few notes for each present in separate, labeled envelopes, then spend no more than that amount – for example, one envelope marked Mom with $50, one for Husband with $100, etc. This tactic works incredibly well for mall shopping, but for online shopping or a combination of resources, my secret weapon is a $1 iPhone app called Better Christmas List. A good, old-fashioned list (in whatever form lists work best for you) will do, too.

If you start early enough, you can focus on finding one or two "perfect" presents each week until the holidays, as well as hunt down the best deals and best value products through a combination of sales, customer reviews, and retail coupons. It all feels a lot less overwhelming mentally, and a much smaller burden on the weekly paycheck, to break it up over time. You might even find, as I do, that you ENJOY it and get to share in the magic of the season, not just the materialism of it. You might even find you have time to bake cookies and pet treats from scratch, the byproduct of being organized that I found most memorable last year -- and which make great, cost-effective gifts for the people on your list in any Bucket.

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Melissa Massello is co-founder and Stealfinder-in-Chief at Shoestring Magazine, where she brings bargainista tips with new media tricks to the masses online. You can follow Shoestring on Twitter at @shoestring or fan Shoestring on Facebook.

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Since launching Boston Mamas in 2006, I’ve made truly incredible friends in the blogging community; some who regrettably remain at laptop’s reach, and others who I’ve had the immense fun of meeting in person. And I’m especially lucky that a group of my talented friends have agreed to share their expertise on Boston Mamas in a guest blog series I’m calling Simplifying the Holidays; editorial focused on interesting, stylish, crafty, philanthropic, and/or time saving solutions to help your holidays be fun, meaningful, and less stressful. As the series progresses, I’ll link each guest blog to this post for easy referencing. Now, off to launch the first guest post in the series...

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Guest post #1. Melissa Massello of Shoestring Magazine: a strategy for prioritizing and planning holiday gifting that can result in major bargains, meaningful finds, and less stress.

Guest post #2. Jennifer James of the Mom Bloggers Club: everyday philanthropy where you can make a difference from the comfort of your home.

Guest post #3. Audrey McClelland of Mom Generations: ideas for getting the most mileage out of your favorite little black dress.

Guest post #4. Isabel Kallman of Alpha Mom: ideas for reconnecting with the spirit of the holidays through giving.

Guest post #5. Michelle Stern of What's Cooking: simple yet meaningful ideas for mindful holidays gifts.

Guest post #6. Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant: simple guidelines and great ideas for easy accessorizing.

Guest post #7. Marie LeBaron of Make and Takes: easy yet engaging holiday crafts to enjoy with your kids.

Guest post #8. Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks: favorite holiday hacks.

Guest post #9. Roxanna of Miguelina: a wicked easy makeup routine so you can spend less time fussing in the bathroom and more time enjoying time with family and friends.

Guest post #10. Amie Adams of Mamma Loves...: easy and fabulous tips for capturing gorgeous photos this holiday season.

Guest post #11. April Paffrath of Wicked Tasty Harvest: a primer on local foods and CSAs, as well as a fantastic guide to CSAs in the Boston area.

Guest post #12. Kristin Brandt of Manic Mommies: an important lesson she learned from her mom, plus a series of holiday tips that have served Kristin well as a full-time working mom.

Guest post #13. Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase of Cool Mom Picks: last minute holiday shopping tips.

Guest post #14. Stephanie Precourt of Adventures in Babywearing: the nothing and everything of the holidays.

Guest post #15. Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom: three fast tips for creating instant holiday mojo at home.

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And also, check out my tips on how to enjoy minimalist and mindful holidays.

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Once upon a time, I met a woman named Laura Mayes who shared my views on writing and publishing. I immediately liked her. She was cheerful and upbeat and ambitious and persistent. And today, she has a gorgeous, high-design book filled with wonderful writing and photography called Kirtsy Takes a Bow.

Lest you think it's like all those other blog books, look at how YUMMY IT IS.

She said "high design," and I was all, "yeah, yeah..."

Right. High design. Can you believe your blog post could look like THAT?

So, anyway, I'm also extremely flattered to have a piece in this book. It's about politics. I can't wait to see what it LOOKS LIKE IN THERE.

Also, I really respect my fellow contributors, many of whom I count as good real-life friends now. It's funny how that's happened over the past five years of reading them, seeing them at BlogHer and other get-togethers, Twittering and sending frantic e-mails back and forth late at night.

Amie Adams Rita Arens Gwen Bell Gabrielle Blair Alice Bradley Kaori Brauns Brene’ Brown Marta Dansie Katherine Center Sophia Charming Kristin Chase Tracey Clark Catherine Connors Jena Coray John Culberson Maggie Dammit Marta Dansie Nadia Dole Caroline Donahue Danny Evans Lisa Fain Jordan Ferney Lindsay Ferrier Kathryn Finney Doug French Amy Gates Kenneth Germer Georgia Getz Brittney Gilbert Joanna Goddard

Aran Goyoaga Risa Green Liz Gumbinner Jennifer Harvey Krystyn Heide Genny Heikka Daniel Hope Tara Hunt Kate Inglis Sarah Ji Sara Johnson Isabel Kallman Guy Kawasaki Neil Kramer Michelle Lamar Jenny Lawson Shawn Ledington Jen Lemen Dana Loesch Yvonne Marie Julie Mason Maggie Mason Laura Mayes Jamie Meares Lily McElroy Lauren McKechnie Karen Maezen Miller Karen Mordechai Loren Morris Stacy Morrison Casey Mullins Irene Nam

Erica O’Grady Tracey Gaughran-Perez Julie Pippert Kyran Pittman Sarah Jane Rhee Stephanie Roberts Roseline Betsy Roy Andrea Scher Amy Turn Sharp Angie Smith Laurie Smithwick Casey Solomon Liz Stanley Kathryn Storke Mary Swenson Joslyn Taylor Evany Thomas Katherine Thompson Togy Ng Kwong To Penelope Trunk Amy Urquhart Erin Kotecki Vest Susan Wagner Karen Walrond Tish Warren Lisa Whelan Maile Wilson Michelle Wolfson Ryan Wright Shannon Zoet

But most of all, I respect Laura, who corralled 100 contributors and brought such vision to this book. I know (believe me, I know!) how hard it is to stay in touch with even 25 people over the book publishing process. I am a big admirer of anyone who can keep up with more and be so damn graceful under pressure.

So, congratulations, Laura! Enjoy this time! You deserve it. And your book looks beautiful.