Johnson & Johnson's History

I got my goodies last week! Don't you just love getting fun stuff in the mail? These are the samples that Johnson & Johnson provided me. Did you know that they make a clear Desitin? I didn't. I almost want Brooklyn to get diaper rash so I can try it out. Desitin is the BEST diaper cream out there, in my opinion. I didn't like the Desitin Creamy because it wiped off too easily and what's the point? If it isn't going to stay on baby's butt, it can't protect it, so what good is it, right? We'll see how the clear works.

I also want to try out the KY warming massage oil. Think I can convince Joe to give me a back rub?

And look! I even went home with a Nintendo DS and a new game! My kids no longer think it's so bad that I skipped town for a couple days.


While we were at The Frog and the Peach (yummiest food EVER!) we got to try out the new Wii games. It's only a matter of days until the kids start begging for the new Wii Fit. Check this out...

To start, you stand on this little balance board and calculate your BMI. Then you can do a little balance test which will calculate your Wii Fit Age (shockingly, mine is 492). Then it's on to the fun balance games, strength training, aerobics, and yoga. For those of us who have a hard time making it to the gym, this could be a quick, fun way to get a little exercise in your day while the kids are at school or napping.

Check out this ad. "So fun and so easy, even grandma will love it"! Ok, the words are mine, but I thought the picture was hilarious.

The day we left New Jersey, we took a little field trip to the Johnson & Johnson campus in New Brunswick. I really LOVED this part of the trip because we learned how Johnson & Johnson first got started. I mean, I knew that Johnson & Johnson had been around forever and that they made many of the products that I use on a daily basis, but I'd never really thought about how they'd gotten started before. Johnson & Johnson is one of those timeless companies. They've been around for ages and they'll continue to be around for years to come. I believe they care about their consumers and strive to find ways to fill customer's needs. That's why they invited 50ish bloggers to this Camp Baby event.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this part of the trip because I met Margaret Gurowitz who writes the Kilmer House Blog. This is such an interesting blog. Especially if you're a history buff (I don't mean memorizing dates of wars kind of history, but the kind of history that talks about people and popular culture and how things were started and how things were made), you should check it out! Margaret has some great pictures and illustrations of old fashioned products that are interesting to read about. J & J is clearly proud of their past (as they should be, in my opinion.)

Spring Giveaway

Like FREE stuff? Check out this giveaway at My Mommys Bracelets! Vanessa has teamed up with other mommy and baby boutiques for a HUGE spring giveaway!
You could win a bracelet, lip balm, a tutu, sunglasses, bow holders, gift certificates for web designs and blankets, flip flops, hats, and much, much more! I have one of Vanessa's bracelets (or actually, Lexi has a bracelet) and I love it. It's well made and really pretty.
Check out her site, do a little shopping, and sign up for the giveaway! :)

Sleep on It

“Sleep is like the unicorn - it is rumored to exist, but I doubt I will see any”

“Sometimes I stay up so late that I have my morning coffee before I go to bed.”


Johnson & Johnson reached out to 56 mommy bloggers and paid for us to come out to their headquarters in New Brunswick where we spent three days being wined and dined. The second day there, we sat through some fun and informative classes. We met Dr. Jodi Mindell, sleep expert and author of Sleep Deprived No More who talked to us about the importance of having calm bedtime routines and making sure your kiddos get enough sleep. Apparently it's important for us moms to get enough sleep too. Yeah, I'll work on that. Did you know that people who don't get enough sleep are not only less productive and able to remember information, but they also have an increased risk of car accidents? Studies have shown that people who don't get enough sleep also have a greater likelihood of obesity, diabetes, depression, and substance abuse.

She opened the floor for questions and several bloggers raised their hands and presented her with their queries. I, on the other hand, hid behind my computer like I was in high school and hadn't read my assignment, and hoped she wouldn't call on me. After the session, I cornered her at the back of the room and asked her my embarassing thought-provoking question. "I have 6 kids, so I really should know what I'm doing, but here's the deal. My 2 year old sleeps with me and my husband. I know, I know. It wasn't such a big deal when she was a newborn, but I would give my right arm to get a full night's sleep without a pair of toddler feet up my nose. Anyway, what can I do now that the most stubborn 2 year old on the planet has us trained?" She looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "What were you thinking? You're on your own!" Ok, so that's not really what she said. She told me to move Brooklyn's bed up against mine and to give her something to sleep with like a teddy bear or something. She told me to sleep with my arm on her for a few nights. Then move my arm away, but still sleep with her bed next to mine. After a few more nights, move her bed farther away. Keep doing this until she's sleeping on her own.

It's sounds good in theory, right? I think I'll set a date and give it a try. It's bad enough listening to Joe snore all night, but getting kicked in the face by Brooklyn is getting really old.

More about this fun and informative trip tomorrow...

Bloggers and Wine, Oh My!

Continued from Because I Said So...
After I arrived in New Jersey, Johnson & Johnson had a person waiting for me at the airport and a driver took me and two other bloggers to our hotel, which is really nice, btw. I don't think our driver had a license and I'm pretty sure he'd never driven that car before. And I'm positive that he didn't know where he was going because he was holding a Google map in one hand and driving with the other. The other blogger in the backseat, Amy, and I held onto the arm rests for dear life. Not to mention the fact that we passed a mini van with two bullet holes in the door. I kid you not.

Anyway, we got here in one piece. The weather is beautiful. I've had the chance to meet many other mommy bloggers which has been a hoot! What a cool, fun group of ladies!
And when I got to my room, there was a goody bag filled with Neutrogena products! How nice! I'm currently trying out this foaming sunless tanner. On the suggestion of a fellow blogger, I'm doing an experiment to see how well it works. I applied it only to my left arm. It's like a light mousse and it goes on really easily and evenly. I've always had issues with sunless tanners because they all, no matter what brand, have that "sunless tanner" chemical smell to them. On the other hand, I love the golden glow of tanned skin and don't really want to risk skin cancer to get it. Anyway, I'm giving it a try. I'll see if I look orange and streaky tomorrow.


Not a good look for Dawn.

And the highlight of the day was a wine tasting class with Ted Allen from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Iron Chef America and Top Chef! This guy was incredibly entertaining! Or maybe it was just the wine... Nah, he was funny, intelligent, and all around fun. I learned a little about wine. Like getting the kids to bed is so much easier after you've had a glass or two. And a nice Merlot goes very well with macaroni and cheese (thanks Jenifer for that suggestion!) I also learned that during a wine tasting, you're supposed to taste the wine and not down the whole glass at once or you'll find yourself in the position of having an empty glass and won't know what to do when he says something like, "Now eat a bite of the mango and taste the chardonnay. Do you think it complements the mango?" Oops.





I was hoping to get my picture taken with him to show my kiddos who LOVE Food Network and watch Iron Chef regularly, but alas, I think we scared him off because boy, did he disappear after his talk! Oh well, that's what Photoshop's for. ;)

Well, I'm off to bed now. I have to be up and going way too early tomorrow!