Like most parents, I wash my hands about twenty times a day. My hands are constantly dry and flaky, but the absolute worst was when I first became a mom. Mike was born in Wyoming and we flew out there really quickly to get him and of course forgot to bring everything not baby-related.

So there we were. In windy, dry, freezing cold Wyoming. In February. With no hand lotion. And of course being a cautious new mom I washed my hands every five minutes even though all we had was the caustic hotel soap. By the time we came home a few days later my hands were burning red, dry, and I practically cried every time I had to wash them. After several days I was slowly able to revive my hands to the point where they felt OK, but it was a surprising amount of work.

How I wish I’d had some Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion then — this stuff is great! It is thin when you squirt it out of the bottle, and I thought that was a bad sign. You know, because a lotion has to be thick and gloopy to work.

No! I rubbed it in, it disappeared into my skin, and it felt like my hands were in water! (I don’t usually gush, but I really like this stuff.)

Plus I can do whatever I like after I put the lotion on. For example, I can hop in the car and my hands don’t slip off the wheel. So I’m more likely to use it when I need it because it doesn’t take me out of commission while it soaks into my skin. One minute later I’m ready to go.

At $25 a bottle it is more expensive than other lotions I’ve used, but I use much less so it works out to be less expensive than I thought. And I’m a cheapskate ;) I mainly use it on my hands, but I’ve also put some on my cheeks after I’ve been out in the wind. It is a very soothing quick fix.

I like it a lot, but give it a try and let me know what you think.

Are you pregnant with twins, triplets or more? Are you sick of traditional, humorless maternity clothes? If so, I’m here to tell you that your poorly-clothed days are over. At least for shirts.

Wendy at “Multiple Moms Rock,” a mother of twin boys, has a sense of humor and her attitude shows in her wonderful t-shirt designs for pregnancy and beyond.

The shirts are original, but what impressed me the most was the level of customer service. Click the link to “Quads and Higher” to see what I mean. Are there a lot of companies out there like hers? Nope.

So support this mom-owned business, and let me know what you think!

Are you looking for help teaching your child the basics of the alphabet and reading? Have I got some great DVDs for you! Leap Frog has impressed me with many of their products, but far and away my favorite is their DVDs.

“Letter Factory” begins the series. It covers all the basic sounds made by each letter of the alphabet using easy to understand and easy to remember imagery.

Tad (the frog) gets to go to the Letter Factory and see how letters are made. He meets Professor Quigley and together they explore the factory. Each room they enter contains a different letter doing activities that relate to their letter sound.

For example, in the “D” room all the letter Ds are dressed like beatniks and they all say “Daddio!” It is funny, original, and therefore memorable. Ages 2 - 6.

“Talking Words Factory” is the next in the series. Tad needs to write a letter, so he goes back to see Dr. Quigley. This time they are in the Talking Word Factory where letters are assembled into words by a machine called the Word Whammer.

Kids learn simple 3-letter words, see rhyming in action, and get an introduction to the concept of “vowels.” Vowels are described as the sticky glue that keeps words together, and of course there is a catchy tune that goes along with the lesson. Letter blends are also briefly introduced, but not in an overwhelming or confusing way. Ages 3 - 6.

“Code Word Caper” is the next step in learning about “word building.” This time Tad, Leap and Lily go to the Complex Words Complex and learn more about letter blends, and — gasp — even silent letters! Even though this video ventures into more complicated spelling territory, the knowledge from the previous videos has brought the kids to the point where they are ready and able to learn it. I was amazed at what my kids were able to understand at such a young age. Ages 3 - 6.

“Learn to Read at the Storybook Factory” is where the concepts from the three previous movies are put together for actual reading. Tad is worried because he’s the narrator in a performance of “The Three Little Pigs,” but he doesn’t know how to read yet.

The other characters reassure him that he’s already learned what he needs to know from his previous visits to the different factories. This is a nice touch as at the same time, the kids watching the video are reassured!

Punctuation, “chunking,” and other helpful reading tips are taught in typical Leap Frog style. Tad learns how to read sentences with the proper inflection instead of sounding like an uncomprehending robot. Throughout, cute and memorable songs are used to drive points home. Ages 4 - 6.

Verdict

I love these — can you tell? But the best recommendation comes from my kids who consistently choose these DVDs. They love to sing the songs when running around the house, and we have had many lively conversations about icky-sticky letters and the fact that letter “L”s like to lick lollipops. When we’re out and the boys see letters, they try to read them with some success.

This video series has given my boys an interest in reading as well as the tools to pursue it, and for that I am so grateful!