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!

New Jersey or Bust

Coming soon - highlights from my trip to New Jersey.

Johnson and Johnson has invited several mommy bloggers to a Camp Baby event in New Jersey. I was chatting with Suburban Correspondant and mentioned that I was going to "New Jersey - the armpit of America." She responded with, "I grew up in New Jersey."
"Ohhh. Um, when I said armpit of America, I meant a nice, freshly shaved, Spring Fresh deodorant scented, armpit. Yeah. Really."

Does anyone stick their feet in their mouths as much as I do?

Then my friend Denise sent me an email saying that Newark had gone a whopping 43 days without a murder. They almost beat their record of 57 days! How thoughtful of my friend to inform me that I'll be shot on my way to the hotel, huh?

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to meeting other bloggers because I really don't know anybody. I never find the time to surf through the mazes of other blogs out there. I'm going to be the dork with no friends, just sitting in the corner in my maternity shirt trying not to look like an idiot. But, on the bright side, I get the whole bed to myself while I'm there. No snoring for two blissful nights!

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

The folks at Discovery Cove sent my family on a dream vacation to Orlando.


DAY ONE
We had an absolutely awesome time in Florida! The limo picked us up bright and early Thursday morning and took us to the airport. I haven't flown anywhere in years and didn't realize just how much security had changed! I didn't know you needed to take off your shoes. So, this is how the whole security run-down took place. Joe walked through carrying Brooklyn. Ta da.

Now, I'm there with the other five kids, trying to position two car seats up on the conveyor belt so they'll pass under the x-ray, attempting to fold up the big double stroller and lift it up so it'll fit in the x-ray thingy. Meanwhile I'm getting all the kids to take off their shoes, put their five backpacks, my tote bag, the diaper bag, my purse, and all our sweatshirts in little trays on the conveyor. A gentleman from security stops the machine and asks me if I have a DVD player in the bag.

Why yes, I do.
Can you take it out for me?
Oops. Sorry I didn't know it was supposed to be taken out.

OK, that's all fine. Then he stops it again and asks me what the round thing is in one of the kids' backpacks.
I have no clue what he's talking about.
He pulls the backpack out and Austin fishes around it and finds a baseball. Duh. What else would you take on a plane to Florida? You never know when the opportunity to play a little catch will arise.
In case anyone's wondering, it's OK to take a baseball on the plane.

After an hour and a half of regrouping and redressing, we caught up to my husband who innocently says, "What took you so long?" He not so convincingly told me that security made him walk through the metal detector and wouldn't let him come back to help us.

We flew Southwest Airlines which was fine, however I really don't like their boarding process. Parents traveling with little kids don't get to board first anymore. When it was our turn to board, we scrambled to find seats together for the eight of us and we held up the line while furiously trying to buckle in car seats and stow everyone's backpacks under the seat as if we were being timed. I don't know why they don't let families with little kids get on first to ensure they get seats together and to let them get situated before letting everyone else on.

Anyway, as we started to take off, Clay asked, "When is it going to start flapping?" He thought the wings of the plane moved like bird wings! After about three minutes in the air, he announced, "I want to go down now." I quickly grabbed out the portable DVD player I borrowed from my sister and bil and wouldn't you know - I either didn't charge it like I thought I did, or I inadvertently turned the power on after charging it and drained the battery. Anyway, it didn't work. The kids were all awesome on the plane despite the lack of movies. They hardly made a peep the whole ride and I needn't have worried anyway because there were several kids on the plane and even if mine had been loud, they would've blended in with the others.

We arrived in not-so-sunny Florida, got our nice 15 passenger van, and headed to the Marriott Grande Vista. Our hotel room was amazing! It was bigger than our house. Literally! It had three big bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, 2 sitting areas, 3 TVs, and 2 balconies overlooking some beautiful pools! On the dining room table was a "Welcome to Florida" note along with a gift basket full of goodies, snacks, bottles of water, candy, and a disposable camera. There were stuffed dolphins, whales, and Elmos for all 6 kids. There were Discovery Cove hats and Shamu backpacks for each of the kids as well. WOW!


(The view of the pools from our balconies)

The kids immediately changed into swimsuits and we went down to the pool where five of them swam. The sixth one spent most of his vacation looking for lizards which apparently run rampant in Florida.


(Jackson's new friend "Can we bring him home please?")

We met Angie, her husband and adorable little girls at the hotel and we all ate outside at the poolside bar and grill. The weather couldn't have been more perfect! I'm ready to move! That's where the toothless man with a beer in one hand, a bird in the other and poop down his back met us. :)


(Me and Angie from Mamaslike)


(The hotel bird-man)

DAY TWO
This is the day we went to Discovery Cove. From the pictures, I knew we would like this place, but I had no idea we'd love it so much. Of course, we were given the total VIP treatment, but looking around it was easy to see that all guests were really catered to and pampered. When we first got there, we met our guide June, a wonderful, sweet woman who hails from Georgia and has the quintessential genteel southern drawl. She escorted us to where the breakfast buffet was located and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast outside in cloudy, but perfectly comfortable, warm weather.


(The gang with June, our guide extraordinaire)

After breakfast, we were fitted with wetsuits.

So June holds up this wetsuit that I think will fit my 6 year old perfectly. She tells me that it's for me. I eye the suit. I look at June. You have got to be kidding me.

It took me 45 minutes, but I squeezed into the wetsuit and walked outside to be laughed at by the world. June took one look and said, "I think that one is too big. Try this one."

Too big?!?!?! Well, I somehow managed to squish myself into the smaller size, walked outside and informed June that I would be definitely be needing the jaws of life to get out of the tight fitting garment.

After we were all outfitted in our snazzy wetsuits, we walked over to our private, secluded cabana which was surrounded by tropical foliage. It was filled with sand toys, lounge chairs, a table, canopy, plenty of towels, masks, snorkels, and a stocked refrigerator. WOW!


(Our private cabana - note the dune buggy stroller!)


(The view of the dolphin pools from our cabana)

In our cabana we met a two toed sloth named Lucky. No kidding he's lucky. He gets to live in paradise with his girlfriend sloth, he's fed lettuce and carrots every day, and he only needs to come down from the trees to poop once every two weeks! Imagine the time we could save if we only needed to use the bathroom once every two weeks!


(All of us with Lucky the sloth and a sweet girl from Discovery Cove)

Saying goodbye to the sloth, we headed over to watch a short video in preparation for our dolphin encounter. This part was amazing!


All of us (Jackson's behind Brooklyn) petting the dolphin


(Me kissing Natasha, the dolphin)


(Austin with the dolphin)


(Lexi kissing the dolphin)


(Joe and Jackson with the dolphin)


(Savannah swimming with Natasha)


(me swimming with the dolphin)

We also got to hand feed sting rays while wading in a pool with them. We snorkeled with tropical fish and rays in a coral reef, and we swam and floated in a lazy river of warm, freshwater. The river meandered through Discovery Cove. It ran through the aviary, home to tons of exotic birds. The river drifted by waterfalls, beautiful plants and trees and even through a cave. It was so relaxing that Brooklyn fell asleep while floating!


(Sleeping on the lazy river)

Here she is sleeping again. This time she fell asleep after Savannah fed her some chocolate cake.


(Note the puddle of chocolate drool)

Speaking of chocolate cake - the food was delicious there! I had yummy, yummy lobster salad on a buttery croissant and Joe is still talking about the salmon he had for lunch! The cool thing about Discovery Cove is that it's all-inclusive. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks including Anheuser Busch beverages, are included in your admission. You don't need to bring money for anything but souvenirs. And unlike many parks, there are not souvenirs stands and shops every five feet at Discovery Cove.

I really hadn't planned on writing tons about Discovery Cove, but I was honestly so impressed that I just had to share. The people there totally take care of you. I don't remember the numbers, but there's a really high staff to guest ratio so there is always a staff member nearby ready to help in any way they can. Every time I walked into the bathroom, there was an attendant sweeping the floors so they were dry and sand-free, or emptying bins of washcloths used to dry hands, or stocking more towels, or filling dispensers with Crabtree and Evelyn shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. Every time I walked with one of my kids to the snack shop, a friendly person greeted us and offered drinks, hot pretzels, animal crackers for the baby, or other yummy snacks. The life guards stationed all around the water were attentive and friendly, offering to take pictures of us with our cameras. This place gets an A+ for service, atmosphere, food, and overall experience!

DAY THREE
We started the day bright and early at breakfast with Elmo and friends at Sea World.


(The gang with Bert and Ernie)


(Me and Cookie Monster, the character I can most relate to!)


(The gang with Elmo)


(Us with the Count)

After breakfast we went to a seal show where we got separated from Lexi. We found her just a minute later, but she was very upset and cried for some time. :( We walked over to a ride called Journey to Atlantis after the seal show. I went on the ride with Austin, Savannah, Jax, and Lex. Lexi did not like it. At all. She started crying about halfway through the ride and didn't stop for the next half hour. Every time she even looked at the ride, she started crying again. Note to self - in the future, even though Lexi insists she wants to go on a ride, do NOT let her go!


(Journey to Atlantis ride)

We met Angie at Sea World and hung out for a bit while our little ones went on some kiddie rides in Shamu's Happy Harbor. This sign cracked me up. I know you can't read all of them, but do you see how many rules there are for going on this ride?


(I think there are 11 rules for going on this ride)


(this one especially cracked me up - "You must not ride if you are unable to understand safety procedures.")


OK all those rules and regulations were for THIS ride. It's a boat that rocks gently rocks back and forth .


(while I was watching the kiddos on some rides, Joe sat down with Brooklyn to try and get her to take a nap. Uh huh. WHO'S taking a nap?)


(Shamu up close and personal while we had dinner behind the scenes of the Shamu show, which by the way, has a really yummy bananas foster - the dinner, not the show)

Oh yeah - if you choose to sit in the "soak zone" at the Believe show with Shamu, you WILL get wet. Even if you're sitting at the very back of the "soak zone" twelve rows up! Trust me.

Oh and if you need medical help while at Sea World, just head over to Key West and the sting ray pool. First Aid is located right behind there. Skipping across a bridge that was slippery and wet from the rain, Clay fell and bit through his lip, bruising the gum around his tooth at the same time.


(this picture doesn't do it justice. It was nasty.)


(nighttime view from our room. We didn't want to leave.)

As I was taking a shower the night before we left, the kids came and started banging on the bathroom door. I ignored the banging and finished showering. When I got out, the kids ran to me and said, "Austin threw up!"

Let me get this straight. Austin threw up, so you thought it would be a good idea to bang on the bathroom door while I was in the shower? Did you think I was going to run out in the middle of my shower, dripping wet, shampoo in my hair, to clean up his barf? Have you ever seen me clean up barf? Ever?

Actually, Austin got sick in the garbage can and Joe took care of it. He continued to get sick all night. Lexi was also up all night with a fever, crying that her ears hurt. Unfortunately her ear drum ruptured on the way home. I took her to the doctor to get some antibiotics and ear drops. I took Savannah to the doctor again because, despite the antibiotics she started the day before we left, her ears are still infected too. I think Austin's done throwing up and Clay's lip is less swollen today. I have to laugh at those things. It just wouldn't be a Meehan vacation if stuff like that didn't happen.

Oh and on the way home, while in line to pass through security, we realized we'd left the car seats sitting at the ticket counter. Joe offered to run back and get them. Guess who went through security with all the kids again. I'm beginning to think he may have left the seats behind on purpose. ;)

We had the most wonderful time! Everything was awesome! The kids were great the whole time. I was really proud of them. It's amazing what a change of scenery can do for a person. They didn't misbehave at all. Of course, they were on a vacation of a lifetime and they (WE ALL) enjoyed every minute of it. I only wish we'd had more time to spend there.

Interested in Advertising?

If you're interested in advertising on Because I Said So or Because I Said So Reviews, please read the following before contacting me.

I only advertise products that are appropriate for me and my family. I'm a stay at home mom of 6 kids. My kids ages are 2, 4, 7, 9, 12 & 13. Toys, computer/phone/camera stuff, restaurants and vacation destinations suitable for large families, children's and women's clothing, kid friendly websites and tv shows, and baby and personal healthcare products are some of the things I'm interested in advertising and/or reviewing. Because I just don't have time to read right now, I don't review books.

I have a couple options for highlighting your product.

1. I will place your banner (supplied by you) on the side bar of either Because I Said So or Because I Said So Reviews. Advertising space is priced at $35/week or $125/month. You can advertise on both sites for a discounted price of $200/month.

2. I will review your product if it's suitable for my website. You will need to supply me with a sample product so I can adequately evaulate it. Your product cannot be returned. My readers respond well to giveaways. If you'd like to do a giveaway, simply let me know how many items you will be giving away. I'll talk about the giveaway on my blog, choose a winner, and get their shipping address(es) so you can direct ship their product(s).

Because I only give my honest opinion of products and services, I'll send you my written review and give you the chance to decline before I post it.

Why should you advertise on Because I Said So/Because I Said So Reviews? Word-of-mouth exposure to many! My readers are moms. I average more than 8000 hits a day.

Thank you,



Mom2My6Pack@aol.com




* If you're a WAHM and want to have your product or site reviewed, go here and check out the submission form.