Rub Some Dirt In It!

Did you hear that scream just now? That's me when I accidentally bite my ice cream instead of carefully dropping it on my tongue in the back of my mouth. Some people have sensitive teeth. I have touchy little hypochondriac teeth that like to scream if a cool breeze enters my mouth.

Over the years, my dentist has given me a dozen recommendations and even a prescription toothpaste that tasted like a urinal cake smells. I've tried every OTC sensitive toothpaste sold in two states by this point. Some worked a little bit, some stained my teeth, and in the hunt I discovered that anything with stannous fluoride gives me Kylie Jenner lips and makes my tongue bleed. Ouch!

There's a phrase my husband loves to say when anyone gets a cut in our household: "Rub some dirt in it!" Followed by a manly grunt, of course. So after all of the many failures with conventional toothpaste, imagine my surprise when I find a conversation on a forum about sensitive teeth where people have had success with...

Dirt.

In their mouths.

My first thought - and pardon my Klingon - was heeeelllllllllll no. But then I found it discussed on a few other forums where people just like me with crazy-sensitive teeth were really experiencing great results with The Dirt Natural Toothpaste, so I did a little more digging about how it works.

From the website: "Did you know the glycerin in modern toothpaste can coat your teeth and prevent the natural process of re-mineralization that keeps your teeth strong and white? The Dirt is made to allow your natural re-mineralization process to do it's thang and get your teeth back to their strong, sparkly selves."

After about a week, I finally forgave them for the gratuitous use of "thang" and ordered it from the site.

The smallest jar claims to be a 3-month supply and it was as expensive as the prescription toothpaste I'd tried ($20). I generally get 2 months use out of a $6-8 tube of paste, and the penny-pinching side of me is still flinching a bit. So was it worth it? I've been using it now for about a week and here's what I've experienced so far:

• The first time you use it is W-E-I-R-D. The fine bentonite clay they use to aid in re-mineralization reminds you that yes, there is actual, honest-to-god dirt in your mouth right now. And when you spit, it's totes mud. But it isn't grainy or thick, thank goodness, so there isn't a texture to be grossed out over.
• The cinnamon and orange spice flavor is actually really pleasant. The chalky taste of the fine clay lingers a bit, though, so I still feel better if I use a diluted mouth wash after for additional freshness.
• My teeth start squeaking while I'm brushing and by the time I'm finished, they feel exactly like they do after the dentist polishes them. And I can't stop running my tongue over them.
• 4 days after I started using it, I drank a fountain soda full of ice without a straw... and didn't squeal when the ice hit my teeth. It was still totally uncomfortable, but that ice-pick in my tooth feeling didn't come like it usually does.
• A week later I'm able to breathe in through my mouth and the rush of air doesn't bother my teeth like it used to.

And no - I promise I'm not receiving anything for this post! I just know there are tons of us out there with cold-sensitive teeth, and I hope this review helps one of you. 

I haven't had any negative experiences/side effects or anything with this yet, but if something does happen I fully intend to come back and edit this post with my findings.

Have any of you had luck with natural toothpastes or other remedies for sensitive teeth?

10 #Tips for a #HappyLife - Breathe

As I send my first born off to college this Fall, I want to give him a few last pieces of advice, whether he takes it or not... I'll be sharing them with you all over the next ten months in my week here at the House. And I'll gladly take any comments or suggestions you'd like to add!

10 Tips for a Happy Life

10. Breathe. Go ahead and laugh. I did when I heard a friend say this the other day as advice she got from someone to help her with her stress at basketball games. Just saying it to each other helped us laugh some stress away at the horrible calls...

But breathing really is a great way to calm down. If more people took a deep breath before immediately reacting to bad news or someone disagreeing with them, there might be more peace in the world.

Controlled breathing is also a good way to help you get through something intense. Anticipation of a traumatic or important event--like public speaking which I am about to try, ah!--can elevate heart rate and cause anxiety. Taking a few calming breaths beforehand gives you control over your body's reaction and can steady your nerves enough to get you past that first step.

Lastly, steady breathing can help you fall asleep. If you are worried about something and it's causing you to stay awake at night, try concentrating on slow, steady breathing. In addition, imagine each muscle in your body relaxes, starting with your toes and work your way up. You'll feel the tension leave and probably won't reach your waist before you're fast asleep!

Wouldn't the world be a better place if people breathed more? Ha!

2017 FASHION: What's In and What's Out!

About a week ago, a friend posted on Facebook some major flashbacks I was having to the 90's with the whole small floral print dresses and shirts. I mean, come on, it's bad enough crushed velvet is back, but not the small floral print! I always DID wonder if it ever would.

So that had me wondering. What IS the new fashion right now and what ISN'T. Alas! A list of the top five IN and OUT for 2017. Let's first get rid of some crap, I mean...stuff.

1. Plain sneakers - well yeah, we aren't all going sailing today so...
2.Corset tops - sorry Kardashians...(not sorry)
3. Stretch skinny jeans - apparently a more vintage look is going to make waves
4. Lingerie inspired dresses - I mean...come on. Less is not always more.
5. 4-5" or more heels - apparently women now want comfort (imagine that!)



OK, now what exactly is IN!

1.Mule shoes - from low heels to high, strap/strapless (ok so this is the only '90s one reappearing, phew!)
2. Stripes - I'm so for this, but vertical. (horizontal = wide look)
3. Athletic inspired fashion - hate to say it but workout clothes are kinda in
4. Abstract prints - we all knew those yoga designs would eventually catch up to us
5. Fun sneakers - well yeah, I mean...hello? 


What do you think?? Agree / disagree? I'm all for the new change.

Eggcelence

Easy Easter eggs!
Easter egg time is coming! I am NOT crafty. Coloring eggs is about all I'm capable of doing, which stinks because mine are never really pretty. Last year, I decided to try decoupage-- which is just a fancy word for saying I decided to glue magazine pictures onto hard boiled eggs. I used regular white school glue and small pictures I cut out. Easy peasy and cute. And yes, they still peel fine.

How fresh are your eggs? 
I left two dozen eggs in my garage overnight. The temperature was in the mid-fifties, so whether or not my eggs were spoiled was questionable. I called my egg lady, Loretta-- who delivers me farm- fresh eggs weekly-- and asked her if she thought they were okay to eat. She told me to place the egg in a bowl of water, if it floated, toss them out. If they stood on end, hard boil them. If they lay flat, they're still fresh. Glad to say, mine were still fresh.

Peeling all those hard boiled eggs is easy!
Did you know older eggs are easier to peel? I get my eggs fresh from the farm and they are sometimes darn near impossible to peel. To make it easier, I always tap the wide side on the counter and crack it. Then I flip it over and tap the top of the egg. After that, I roll the egg on the counter to loosen the shell a little-- though be careful not to apply too much pressure and squish the egg. 

Want fluffier, yellower egg yolks?
Cool boiled eggs quickly when done cooking. I remove from the stove, pour off the hot water and replace with ice and cold water. The rapid cooling makes the egg yolk less dense. 

How about a few egg funnies? 
What's an egg's least favorite day? Fry-day
Who tells the best egg jokes? comedi-hens
How do chickens get out of the house? Through the eggs-it
How do chickens come into the house? Through the hen-trance
How do monsters like their eggs? Terri-fried
How many eggs does it take to screw in a light bulb? 0...eggs have no hands.

Loving the LipSense!

Hey everyone! I invited Robin Hall, a dear writer friend of mine, to join us and talk about a new business venture she took on. One you can even do yourself! Here she is talking about: LIPSENSE!!

Hello, the Really Real Housewives!!
 

After reading Tammy’s lipstick post in December, I asked if she’d be willing to add another brand to the mix, and she agreed! YAY! She tried out Sheer Berry, a great color to bring out green eyes. (even though Tammy has brown, it still looked great!) She asked me to briefly introduce myself and LipSense.

Tammy and I are writing friends. I’m a North Carolina girl, enjoying country living with my 3 acres, 5 kids, 1 husband, 1 dog, and 22 chickens (goats to come!) I teach yoga and strength training classes, love to bike (mountain and road) and rock climb.  Here I am with my cuties on Valentine’s Day.

I gave up lipstick years ago. My husband wouldn’t kiss me if I wore it, and I didn’t want to get it on my babies. So when I heard about this good-for-you lipstick that stayed where it belonged, and worked as hard as I do, I decided to give it a chance.

Not only did my color stay, but my lips became so much healthier. No more dry, chapped lips for me! I don’t even have to hide chapstick in my utensil drawer anymore! Plus, it’s great for Halloween:)

 Obviously I love it, but I’ll let Tammy tell you about her experience!!

I had a wonderful experience, Robin!! As everyone knows, I like the Color Stay by Maybelline, but I found LipSense to be equally amazing. I loved the OOPS wand idea! And, in the long run, you may feel like you are dishing out more money, but once you look at the ounces - you're not!! I hands down think LipSense is the bees-knees! Here is a photo of the color I chose which was a plum-like color.

You can find Robin's LipSense on facebook at:

 www.facebook.com/groups/Rokissandmakeup where you can also see her many colors and  products to purchase. Robin can even tell you how you can become a distributor if you so wish! SPECIAL DISCOUNT!! If you use the promo code: ReallyRealHousewives you get free shipping on your order!!  Aren't having amazing friends, awesome??

 

If you have tried LipSense, I would love to hear your opinion of this long wear lipstick. If you haven’t tried LipSense yet, I would love to hear about which color you would try first! Leave a comment below to let me know.