How a Moment Lasts Forever

The world needed Beauty and the Beast. I'm certain of it.

Yesterday a coffee barista asked me out of the blue if I had seen it yet. I gave her a 15 second review. She gave me my coffee for free. Walking the halls at the hospital I stumbled past 3 conversations going on about it. "Have you seen it yet?" "YES!!" "Me too! What did you think?!?" From young and old, male and female, everyone has been touched by the original story, and now this film as sparked something new.

This was not a film for just "Disney fanatics." This was nothing short of a gift. A breath of fresh air. A respite. And the world agrees. It was beautiful, thoughtful, and intentional. And it was all because of the hero, who probably isn't who you think it was. Was it perfect? No. But that plays into my point even more. We'll get to that later.

My family has been a long time admirer of just about everything Disney has had their hand in (except maybe Good Dinosaur). But for some reason, Beauty and the Beast touched our souls. You know, the deep, deep part. Deep.

My brother and I grew up watching the animated classic. We listened to the cassette tape in the car over and over (thank you Alan Menken for shaping my childhood in so many ways). My mom and I started seeing Beauty and the Beast on Broadway in New York followed by every time it came into town (around a dozen times now???) where I got my favorite coffee mug to take to work. The only phone case I've had for the past 2 years has been the famous animated stained glass picture of Belle and the Prince dancing. Performing as Belle in the headlining song "Belle" at a church event was one of the best 5 minutes and 17 seconds of my life. (And plenty of fodder for later Gaston jokes..."I know!!!") Just a few notes of the opening song can make my heart jump into my throat and my eyes burn with the glint of tears. And Beast's song in the musical? Oh heaven help me.

This story is in. my. soul.

So the announcement comes out that the power house Disney is going to tackle Beauty and the Beast as a live film. And I'll admit it. I was nervous. So we wait. And wait. Like a young child for Christmas, we wait.

The trailer arrives. It nearly breaks the internet and is the most watched trailer to date. Tears. Everywhere tears. Yet. We still wait.

We bought tickets for mom's birthday 12 days before the release. And more waiting.

Now something happens a week before the theatrical release. I won't get into the details or even how I feel about some of the things that were said because if you're still reading this, you likely already know, but echoing the brainless townspeople in the film came the cries of our culture, "Kill the Beast!!!" Talks of boycotts and nasty reviews sprang out! (By people who had not seen the movie and were basing their reviews off of...a trailer?? what they had heard through....other reviews???) Jeepers.

The day finally comes. I get dressed in my "Unleash the Beast" t-shirt dress and a Lumiere embroidered long jean jacket, finishing it all off with a red felt rose in my hair. Because after all, this is a monumental event for someone who knows every drop of music from both the animation and the musical. One must look the part.

I anxiously and expectantly sat in the theater for the opening notes of the film to start, wondering, "will this tank? are the awful things about it's shallowness going to be true??" But, I kept my mind open to thinking for myself. (gasp!!!)

Now to the down and dirty. Did I love Emma Watson? No. She was visually beautiful as Belle, but she seemed somewhat timid and flat. I prefer the strong Belle from the animation and even more so the stronger Belle from the musical. Dan Stevens? Wonderful. Magneto as Cogsworth? Perfect. Gaston? Magnificantly evil. A true villian. Not just a good-looking dope that wants a pretty wife. This guy was bad. LeFou - I absolutely adore Josh Gad and will never say anything but praises about his performances. A nice fresh spin on LeFou. A sidekick that thinks for himself. A new kind of funny in unexpected places. Well done. I only wish there were about 5-10 more minutes of the film. It felt a bit rushed like they were pressed for time in spots. And truthfully, with as much ground as they covered, they were pressed for time. Sitting for just a couple of more minutes in the dungeon with Maurice and Belle would have served us a much bigger picture of the sacrifice being made. But even in the light of my criticism, I was mesmerized. And backstory y'all. We get backstory. Praise the heavens!

SPOILERS AHEAD

So. Something wonderful and rare happened. The audience got a beautiful mix of the animated classic, animated spin offs (the addition of Cadenza), the broadway musical, the original fairytale (Belle asking for a rose from her father who finds it in the garden of the Beast), and somethings new. They kept all our favorite dialogue and lyrics from the animation but added some beautiful elements to new songs and a fresh take of the dialogue. They inserted some choreography, staging, and directing that was original to the musical. (Yes, y'all, I recognize choreography from the original musical...judge me. I don't care.) Although they took out 2 of my favorite Beauty and the Beast songs - huge, powerful numbers that drop you smack dab in the middle of the pain that Belle and Beast shared separately in "Home" and the eleven o'clock number "If I Can't Love Her," I surprisingly liked the new songs and felt they added something to the story. (On that note, that's the problem with casting movie actors and not stage/broadway actors in a musical film of this nature. You get "actors" and not strong "singers." But autotune saves the day, in the opinion of some. Instead, "Home" was removed all except for hearing snippets of the melody as the background theme, and "If I Can't Love Her" was replaced with a touching, but much less difficult to sing song for the Beast's heartbreaking realization of reality.)

I saw the story in a new light just as I had done when I saw the musical for the first time. But this was bigger. I realized that the main character in the story is not Belle. It's not the Beast. It's not even the charming, lovable, and relatable enchanted household. The main character is Love with Justice being the best supporting actor. Yes we know Belle and Beast fall in love. Yes we know Gaston gets what's coming to him. But in this adaptation, Love and Justice are deep seeded. It's not just romantic love but familial love and friendly love. It's not justice just for the good guys, but the bad guys too. One of my favorite moments in the film was seeing the heart of LeFou change, namely in the mob song..."There's a beast running wild, there's no question..." It was courageous and raw.

Back to Love....every type of love shown was imperfect, and they recognized that!!!! How refreshing!! We see a different kind of love that Maurice has for Belle and his wife than the animation allows. He loves Belle deeply and fully, not wanting to see her hurt. Or die from the plague, for that matter, which is obviously not ideal. So he creates this holed up life for her in a little town that's a quiet village. Every day is like the one before. His love for his wife is imperfect. He loves her deeply and dreams of her daily, yet he left her to die (yes, to save his daughter...there could be arguments here, but just don't do it please). We see Beast imperfectly fall in love with Belle. He's fine having her as a prisoner, for crying out loud, only until he sees how utterly broken she is that her father is in trouble. We see Gaston's lust-love for Belle - no need to explain the imperfection in that one, surely. We see LeFou's love for Gaston. He genuinely idolizes this guy. Like, woah. Every guy here wants to be you Gaston, including LeFou. Does that translate to romantic love? Maybe. Maybe not. You be the judge. That's not the point of the relationship though.

The love I was most pleasantly surprised by was the love between the enchanted household. Wow.

How beautifully Lumiere loves Plumette (not in the lusty, meet-me-behind-the-curtain-every-second-of-the-day kind of love that we get in the animation) but a love that misses holding her and touching her face and truly being with her. Lumiere and Cogsworth's love for each other as shown in their final farewell before turning forever into their permanent states of candelabra and clock. And how about the love between husband and wife Cadenza and Madame de Garderobe?! There is a brief but touching moment between Beast and his enchanted household when he expresses his sadness over the inability to change them back into their human forms. But I truly started to lose it when our beloved enchanted characters began their permanent change into the objects they've become. Mrs. Potts frantically searches for her son. The thought of becoming a permanent pot without him by her side was more than she could bear. He arrives, nearly shattering on the way, and as he falls, he is caught by the doorman/coat rack who's final moment in life is carefully setting the quickly changing Chip by his mother's side after she herself has already been changed.

Love. All of it. It's all Love.

Tears. Tears. Tears. Sobs stuck in the throat. And more tears.

Now, Beast's song. Do I even dare. His song from the musical is so moving that I feared what would happen here. I barely moved in my seat when the music started. For a split second I willed time to stop so I could steel myself for the heartbreakingly honest grief that was about to unleash on the audience. (And for those unfamiliar with the musical, first of all, shame on you. You need a spanking. Secondly, there were hints of the original song in this new one, both the old and new were written by my main men Alan and Tim. I believe this new song was written only because Dan Stevens likely doesn't have the vocal range for the original. Because the original was perfect. There is no other explanation for replacing it....I digress.) Obviously, I could discuss this few minutes of the story for hours. So get to it already. Something we see during this performance is again, deeper than romantic love and heartbreak. Those emotions are just the products of Beast's realization of reality: everyone is created for relationship, and he has missed it. Belle or Beast, we all need love. NEED. Beast realizes this in, "I never needed anybody in my life, I learned the truth too late." Even as "she fades from view," he realizes that his love for her has permanently changed him. "She will still inspire me, be a part of everything I do...for evermore." That's what love does. It inspires TRUE change.

All of this is an echo of eternity. Love changes things. Permanently. It makes your last acts ones of service and sacrifice like the doorman. The most beautiful picture of how love changes is the obvious one - when we see Beast's transformation from a hideous beast with horns and claws back into a (beautiful, blue-eyed, long-haired Dan Stevens) prince. The only thing capable of that transformation was Belle's love. Love love love. Do you see?? LOVE was the hero and heroine. Love is the point. Imperfect love is what we are capable of, but God's love is perfect. It inspires us and permanently changes us. Eternally. Even Disney recognizes this! The song sung by Maurice: "Just when we feel all hope is gone....Through the darkest of our troubles, love is beauty, love is pure, love pays no mind to desolation, it flows like a river through the soul, protects, persists, and perseveres and makes us whole....that's how a moment lasts forever..."

If you are not part of the masses that have already flocked by the millions to see this film, join us.

And then join the conversation. I'll be talking about it. Evermore.

  

Kid and Baby Sales!! (Disney, clothes, and more)

My husband said to me the other day, "You like to shop."

My response, blank stare.

The truth is, I can rarely resist a good sale. Lord, help me. Because a lot of them have been made known to me recently. So I'll share them with you in hopes I won't be the only one spending their hard earned pay checks over the interwebs these days.

Zara
Ooh goodness, be careful. Lots of really great kid clothes here. The kid clothes seem to be higher quality than the adults. But there's good options for us as well. Sizes for the wee ones tend to run large.

Disney Store Sale on Sale
I always love this. An extra 25% off clearance items TODAY ONLY (July 10, 2015) with code extra25

Boon at Target 
Their super cute drying rack (good for bottles, cups, pacifiers, etc) are too cute. And 10% off until the end of the month.

Disney Baby Feeding at Babies R Us
Come on. What baby, toddler, or preschooler doesn't need to show their #DisneySide? I mean, we pretty much drink our tea and coffee out if nothing but Disney mugs. So why shouldn't they enjoy their morning milk out of a Sully cup? Heck, I'll use it. Lots of options with straws too which is good for ALL ages to use instead of the tip-back style sippy cup which is bad for their teeth. (It's basically a bottle with a different shaped nipple on it.) Includes pacifiers, bowls, cups, floor and table toppers, and more. BOGO 50% off until the end of the month.

Zulily
If you don't know Zulily, you're missing out. Get ready to be rocked. Right now some of my favorites sales include rain gear (for all ages), Disney Bumpkins (wet bags, wipeable bibs), MLB gear and decor, whimsical garden decor, various Star Wars costumes and gear, and much more. Beware moms, there's also a shop for Coach, Kate Spade, and DVF. If you can't find something specific that I've mentioned in a sale category, just type it in the search bar.

Redbubble
This is a new one for me. A place where artists can put up their original (and not so original) artwork for sale in different formats. Recently I've ordered a duvet with Peter Pan on it for June's big girl bed and a Beauty and the Beast iphone case that shipped out in under 2 hours after ordering. Also on my list is this Adventure is Out There pillow from Disney Pixars' UP! We'll probably be ordering family t-shirts from here for our September Walt Disney World family vacation. You can use the code lilextra for 25% off, found on retailmenot.com.

Enjoy your spending! And don't blame me. 

Baby Gear Reviews. What You Need, What You Want

If you haven't seen Baby Mama, you need to. Today. It's hilarious. And shows you what can happen if you baby proof your toilet too soon...

There's something about a baby store that makes me want to squeal with glee. And there's a lot of baby store stops for me recently. (Yes, we're pregnant. Yes, again.) And lots of friends are having babies, too!!!

I LOVE babies. And baby stores. And baby registries. And all things BABIES!!!

So! here's a review of my favorite baby things. Click on the titles to check them out. And in my usual broadway style song and dance, "these are a few of my favorite things:"

Boon Flair Highchair
Why I love it: Very, very few creases, no fabric. Translation: easy to clean last night's spaghetti off of it when you decide to watch a movie after bedtime instead of cleaning up. Also comes with 2 plastic trays to have one in the dishwasher and the other on the highchair. Perfect. Comes in a variety of colors.
What I'd fix: the bottom clasp is hard to remove from the chair so it's not as easy to throw in the washing machine. However, it doesn't get as dirty as anything else since it's under the tray.

Ingenuity 2-1 Chair
Why I love it: no creases (see note above about cleaning it); comes in a variety of good colors; perfect to take to a friend's house for dinner when you need a baby seat. Or grandma's. Or the park birthday party, etc. It could be your sole high chair at home and save you the need for a Bumbo seat.
What I'd fix: the bottom safety strap is a little too long for our skinny kitchen chairs. But it's fit on every other chair I've used. It has a back safety strap too so this isn't really a problem. Just minor thing.

Joovy Hook On Chair
Why I love it: great to keep in the trunk to take to Panera when the babe is really too small to fit in a "regular" high chair. Comes in variety of colors (obviously this is important) and cleans well.
What I'd fix: a little difficult to collapse one handed if you have to hold the baby while you put it up. The buttons seem to go the wrong way....but after you figure it out, it's easier. This seat has saved us a ton.

Nuna Pipa Carseat
Why I love it: one simple reason...the anti rebound bar. Europe is way ahead of us y'all. Bottom line. It also goes to a height of 32 inches and 32 pounds which is longer and heavier than any other infant carrier I know of. Also I love the dream drape. Perfection. This will be our next carseat.

Chicco Keyfit 30
Why I love it: great basic seat with 30 pound capacity. Got me through 2 kids around 18 months old each. Smaller frame than some of the other carriers.
What I'd fix: more colorful options. (duh)

Diono Radian RXT
Why I love it: slimmest frame with reinforced steel for side impact. You can put 3 of these seats in a single row. Goes up to 120 pounds as high back booster and 40 pounds rear facing. No need to ever get another seat after the infant carrier. (Actually works at 5 pounds but not a great seat to switch in multiple cars due to the weight of seat. Remember - steel reinforced.) Material is soft and easy to clean.
What I'd fix: fits so well in the seat that it can be difficult to tighten the harness when rear facing. After you get used to pulling on it hard enough, it's great. Uses a ratcheting system to tighten which is a learning curve from the infant carrier.

NuRoo Nursing Scarf
Why I love it: versatility, style, weight of fabric, everything is great about this. Covers just enough (if that's your thing) and then looks like a scarf for the rest of the day
What I'd fix: more pattern options. Although I love the stripes.

Muslin or Bamboo Swaddle Blankets like Aden and Anais or SwaddleDesigns
Why I love it: they're big and lightweight and get softer with each wash. Great for swaddling, playing on the floor or grass, nursing, etc. Perfect for hot weathered states like Texas.
What I'd fix: nothing....absolutely nothing.

Wet Bag
Why I love it: keeps everything from soiled clothes (baby's or your's...), wet burp clothes, dirty bibs, etc. away from everything else in your bag. Seriously, don't roll up a poopy onesie and stick it in the same place pacifiers and bibs go. No. Don't do it.
What I'd fix: nothing. nope.

Medela Pump In Style Breastpump or Hygeia EnJoye with Internal Battery
What I love: the internal battery in the Hygeia is fantastic. You can walk around as needed. The Medela has a letdown phase which is great but a seasoned nurser could do without it.
What I'd fix: I don't love the creases in the Hygeia flange set because it seemed more difficult to clean, but those can be switched out with a medela set.

Medela Washable Nursing Pads
What I love: they don't stick to you like some of the other brands. They are real soft and get softer with each wash. So affordable too. Get a few packs.
What I'd fix: not a dang thing

Shea Moisture Baby Ointment
What I love: great for bottoms, eczema, really dry skin. Smells great and it's organic.
What I'd fix: if it were a couple dollars cheaper I'd have it in every room of the house

Burts Bees Lavendar Bath products especially the bath wash and lotion
What I love: this stuff has seriously helped several mom's I know get their babies into a good night routine. The lavendar works y'all. Tear free.
What I'd fix: can't think of it. Maybe if I could get a subscription for this for the first 12 months.

Summer Infant SwaddleMe wrap and Aden and Anais Sleepsack
What I love: keeps blankets out of the freaking bed!!!!!!!!!!! but makes baby feel secure. Both of my kids used them for a loooong time. Like until 2 years. They come in different weights.
What I'd fix: I still haven't seen a good one with long sleeves for the winter.

Stay tuned for more of my favorite things and things you can do without.

When Should My "Baby" Start Wearing a Helmet?

I overheard a really scary statistic in the office today. In our hospital (to remain nameless to protect the innocent...and myself), less than 10% of bike crashes that are admitted for treatment or observation are wearing a helmet at the time of injury. You wanna know the same statistic for kids wearing helmets on ripsticks and scooters? 0%. Yes. ZERO.

Let me rephrase that. If your kid got in a bike crash and was injured enough to be admitted to the hospital - 9 out of 10 of them weren't wearing a helmet. None of the ripstick and scooter kids who were hurt enough to need admission were wearing helmets. NONE.

Awesome.

So when should they start wearing helmets? When they start picking up some speed? When they are big enough to lose the training wheels when they're tall enough to be more than a foot from the ground?? No. Start the practice of wearing a helmet the FIRST time they ever get on wheels in the first place. Come on. You know the drill. The earlier you introduce good habits (and morals for that matter), the easier they stick. And the less you have to fight with them later about it.

Is there a conclusion for this? Yes. We can't fix brains. So protect them. If your kid doesn't like the helmet, no bike. No scooter. You're the adult. Set the rules. They'll appreciate it when they don't have to go to prom in a wheelchair with a chaperone to suction out their tracheostomy. And if they don't appreciate it then, it doesn't matter anyway.

But this little face matters...






















Lady Bug helmet by Bell on June, age 3 1/2y at time of picture, and Disney Cars helmet on Max age 2 years. Both under $20.

Subscribe or Trash?

I have a new obsession. Subscriptions.

I'm not sure where it started. Oh yes I do. Junior High. Vogue. No, not Seventeen. Vogue. I've always had expensive taste. I can look at a mountain of shoes and my favorites will be the ones that are $500.

Every. Single. Time.

But I digress...

With the internet, Facebook, and Network marketing at an all time high, it's hard to know what's quality and what's just being shoved down your throat for a quick sale.

So here's a rundown of my favorite subscriptions. You can be your own judge. And please, leave in the comments YOUR favorites. I can always use a new one....Click on the title to go to their website.

VOGUE:
Ok, we already covered that one. But here's the thing with Vogue. The contents aren't in my, um, budget. However the artistry in it's pages can sometimes be breath taking.
Cost: $12-18 dollars a year
Pros: beautiful, discounted from shelf price, great cover stories
Cons: unattainable contents, liberal news stories (maybe that's a pro to you...)

DOLLAR SHAVE CLUB:
This was a fantastic little facebook find. You get 4 razors a month and a handle to start off your subscription. Honestly, I don't use 4 razors a month, but good grief, that's substantially less expensive than buying them at the grocery store. Not only that, these guys are pretty hilarious. Your monthly box comes with a quippy little magazine to read, complete with jokes, satire, and the occasional off-kilter comic. That alone is worth the subscription. Can be shared between 2 shavers.
Cost: $1-9 a month
Pros: great razors, ingenious packaging, attention to detail, satire
Cons: maybe too many razors?? (if that is a con...)

CITRUS LANE:
This is a really fun and creative subscription box for kids. It comes with 4-5 items per box ranging anywhere from toys, clothes, feeding utensils, books, snacks, and there's usually something for mom. A nice bonus. One of June's favorite toys has come from this box. We look forward to it every month. A lot of the items are also earth friendly in someway. There is also an option to switch from month to month gender and age.
Cost: $19-$29 a month
Pros: great content for kids, bonus gift for mom, earth friendly
Cons: a little more costly although worth the money, no way to automatically switch between children (have to log in each month)

VEMMA:
Come on, you know I had to do it. There's too much to say about this in a short paragraph. But let me say a few words: energy, health, wellness, freaking fantastic. Vemma itself lowers your infection markers, naturally increases your anti inflammatory properties, and is a highly absorbable antioxidant. Vemma is the main flagship product with these wonderful benefits. Verve is the healthy energy drink that has a dose of Vemma in it. So who doesn't love healthy energy?
Cost: $64+ depending on products
Pros: again I say energy, less copays at the doctor, less missed work days (yes that's a pro), can provide income
Cons: the Verve packs need to come in 30's instead of 24 so you can have one each day a month

GRAZE:
This is a new one to me, and I'm really excited to try it out. I have a hard time remembering to eat during the busy day with 2 ankle biters. And sometimes all June wants to eat is a "bar." I'm hoping this one gives us more options. There's a ton of natural ingredients. Looks fun.
Cost: $6 per box, ships weekly or every 2 weeks
Pros: healthy, gives you the option of "trashing" certain ingredients, tons of options
Cons: don't have any yet...stay tuned

PARENTS MAGAZINE:
I absolutely LOVE this magazine. It has a ton of fun (and realistic) options for family entertainment, meals, outings, you name it. The parenting suggestions are also doable, realistic, and won't leave everyone scarred at the end of the day. I also appreciate their stance on medical issues. Follow them on twitter.
Cost: $7.99 for 2 years
Pros: affordable, helpful, creative, realistic!
Cons: I need more time to sit down and read them

PRIZE CANDLE:
This was a fun idea but it missed the mark in a few places. They hide a ring (made in China) in a candle, and you burn your candle down to find the ring. They claim to have a $5000 ring in a candle somewhere...Each ring comes with a code to appraise your ring on their website. SPOILER ALERT: it's worth $10. You get a discount for your first candle, so it's worth doing one time. After all, you could have the $5000 ring.
Cost: $15-$24.99
Pros: fun idea, creative gift
Cons: a little on the expensive side, rings are too big for my scrawny fingers

Leave your favorites in the comments!

Cheers!!

I remember as a young child seeing my mom smile over us one night as my brother and I were eating our dinner. When I asked her what she was smiling about she had a simple reply that has lasted all these years in my memory, "Mother's love to see their babies eat."

I don't know if it stuck with me because it was such an odd reply for an young child to fully grasp? Or maybe I had already begun to understand God's working in my heart to fight for impoverished children. Either way, it stuck with me.

During lunch when I sat down with my nearly three year old over grilled cheeses and Sun Chips, we get a knock on the door. (Yes a knock. All potential ringers are warned of their responsibility to babysit if they ring the doorbell.) It's a bright orange box. Vemma.

As I bring it in, June starts saying, "NEXT?? I want NEXT! Pleeeeeease!!"

There goes that same smile across my face and warmth in my heart just as my mother had all those years ago. And I get it. Fully get it.

Cheers Junie. And Cheers to you Vemma NEXT.

                  

"Pollen Vortex!!!" "Shower Before Bed!!" And Other Tales of Allergies in the News....

Although allergies are no joke, this made me chuckle as I opened my inbox this morning. The Pollen Vortex!!! (Gasp!!!) And crunchy ways to take care of yourself during it's brutal quake!! Including a shower!!!!

I wanted to find a picture of the Mucus Queen from Billy Madison, but there wasn't a good one that didn't seem inappropriate in someway. So insert that memory of her wiping snot on her chest . 

Ok all kidding aside, if you need some natural help from allergies (that won't break the bank and won't have you reaching for homemade granola....although there's nothing wrong with that if that's your deal), then for the love of Pete, try Vemma. It's gotten my mom off allergy meds and chronic sinus infections, and it's helped a handful of our friends write farewell letters to their monthly (and sometimes weekly) dates with a needle-wielding allergist. For you - Vemma 1 Pack for a month. For your kid - Vemma NEXT 1 pack for a month. It's under $2 a day, so quit your belly aching and do it. Unless you're one of those people who likes to be miserable. But I hope you aren't. 

(To hear more about what Vemma has done for us and can maybe do for you too, see my page at the top take back your life.)

Now...for your reading pleasure....

“Brutal” Allergy Season Expected.

ABC World News (4/13, story 9, 1:30, Muir) reported, “We’re going to turn now to what is expected to be a brutal allergy season.” Due to the polar vortex and a longer lasting winter in much of the country, “so much is budding out there at once, it’s creating what some are calling the pollen vortex.”

        NBC Nightly News (4/13, story 11, 1:25, Quintanilla) reported that Dr. Mika Roberson, of the Care Point Health Medical Group in Hoboken, NJ, explained that immunotherapy shots taken three to six months before high pollen season may help some people, but people suffering right now are advised to see their physicians and “get skin tested” to ascertain precisely what allergens are bothering them. Over-the-counter nasal sprays and antihistamines can provide some relief.

        The ABC News (4/14, Mohney) website reports, ABC News medical correspondent Jennifer Ashton, MD, “says there are new medications available to those in need including Oralair [grass pollen allergen extract], a new medication made up of freeze-dried grasses that can help combat allergies.” According to experts, “using a neti pot, showering before bed to get rid of pollen particles on the body and keeping windows closed to keep out errant pollen particles are all key.”

        The New York Post (4/12, O'Neill) and the Slate Magazine (4/12, Holthaus) “Future Tense” blog also used the phrase “allergy vortex” in their coverage.

Copied from NAPNAP Publication "PNP Daily News"