I love how well these Valentine's Day cards turned out this year!  Just a few well-placed cuts with an Exacto knife, a lollipop and a photo card and...voila.  The hardest part was getting Riley to stick her little fist out like this and smile!  :big grin:

The day has finally arrived that every mommy dreads, yet looks forward to at the same time.  My little girl is attending preschool!  Riley started classes last Monday and attends three days a week from 9 am to 1 pm.  She gets so excited to "be a big girl", carry her own back pack and head off to school each morning.  I'm just so proud and excited for her!  I remember how much I used to love school and I know she's really flourishing there at her preschool.

Of course, the house is awful quiet and uneventful with my little sidekick gone and at times I miss her terribly...

But wait, there`s more! »

First, let me start by saying this is not a product review and I've received no compensation or products pertaining to the South Beach Diet.  This post and all others soon to follow are merely descriptions of my journey towards a healthier lifestyle.  I will be turning 37 years old this year and am honestly ashamed at the foods I choose to put in my body each day.

Do you remember the kind of foods you ate when you were eighteen?  Plenty of fast food and sweets completely devoid of fruits and vegetables?  Well unfortunately, I still eat this way and I believe that it's finally caught up with me for good.  A few months ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, an auto-immune disease of the thyroid.  Since then, I've been in and out of doctor's offices and hospitals getting test after test and opinion after opinion on how to proceed next.

If there's one thing I know from my days of studying Science, it's that sugar actually lowers your immune system and although Hashimoto's disease does have genetic roots, I personally believe that my high-sugar diet is to blame.  The more I contemplate and really think about what I eat each day, the more I realize that I'm probably a full blown sugar and carb addict at this point.

But wait, there`s more! »

I look forward to these every year and wanted to pass this along.  Be sure to watch the JibJab Year in Review 2012: The End is Here! for plenty of laughs and memories.

 

If you've been a long-time reader of my blog, you may have begun to notice that my posts are becoming more and more infrequent.  Typically, I post an average of around 3-4 pieces per day, but here lately, I'm doing good just to get one published per day.  And next week, I will be absent almost entirely...SO WHAT'S THE DEAL?

Well, it's actually due to some really good news concerning an invention of mine, Toothpaste 2 Go.  As you may or may not know, my husband and I have created our own business, MCM Inventions, Inc., designed to promote several patent-pending inventions I've created.  For two and a half years, we've worked hard at launching Toothpaste 2 Go and last month, we finally got a HUGE BREAK!

Toothpaste 2 Go is actually going to be featured for an entire year during prime time programming on the PBS show, In Focus with Martin Sheen!  I can hardly believe it and even though I've known this news for almost a month, honestly, I was afraid to tell many people because I thought I might jinx it.  Since my husband and I are actually traveling to Florida this weekend to film our part of the show on Monday, I guess it's safe to say that this television feature is actually going to happen!

I'm still going to do my best to post here on Mommy Living the Life of Riley as often as possible, though right now, I'm definitely feeling the strain of being pulled in many directions at once...especially as the holidays grow closer.

Thanks again for everyone's support and understanding and please keep your fingers crossed that all goes well.  I'll be sure to let you know more details as soon as I can!  :big grin:

Here's a brief sample of In Focus with Martin Sheen and how our segment will look once it's filmed: