*This is just me sharing stuff that I like and I think you will too.  For this review Ouchies sent me two tins of bandages, but the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Ever since my daughter started school, she has become a walking medic case of bumps, bruises, scrapes and scratches.  Most of these are minor and all that’s needed is a magic kiss from Mommy and a bandage.  Wearing the bandage is important–even for the tiniest of cuts–because it lets the world know that she is hurting and could you please throw a little sympathy her way?

My daughter was thrilled when I was asked to review Ouchies Adhesive Bandages because  just that day she had gotten a small wound.    She’s an artist, so she immediately went for the Make Ur Own bandages.  They come with permanent markers, so she got to work right away on her masterpiece.

(photo by Ouchies)

That bandage went on her real wound.  But just for fun we opened up the tin of Ouchies 4 Girlz and put them all on her arm to get a better look.  The colors and graphics are fantastic.  My daughter really liked the different designs, especially Tattoo and Flower Power.

(photo by Ouchies)

This is what she had to say about Ouchies: “It’s padded nicely and feels like silk.  I like that it’s bright and shiny and I like the cool designs, like a comic book.   They are not plain like most or babyish like the ones that you get at the doctor.”   She wore Ouchies to school and her friends thought that they were “cool.”

There are other Ouchie designs for purchase, 4 Boyz and Mr. Men & Little Miss for both boys and girls, so there is design that your kids are sure to like.  Ouchies was started by a family who was tired of boring bandages for their children, and I totally agree; who says that a bandage has to be boring?   I like that Ouchies are a good quality bandage that doesn’t sacrifice function for style.

You can find a retail store near you that sells Ouchies by going to their website or you can even order online.   Nordstrom sells Ouchies here in Atlanta, which is perfect for me because I shop for my daughter there anyway.  But you lucky reader you, YOU don’t have to go to a retail store because Ouchies is giving away 2 tins of bandages–winner’s choice–to a reader of Funkidivagirl.com.

To enter:

1. Fan Ouchies on Facebook

2. Then come back to Funkidivagirl.com and leave a comment on this post, telling me that you became a Facebook fan of Ouchies.  Make sure that you leave a valid email address so that I can contact you if you win.

A winner will be chosen via Random.org on February 3rd.   Good Luck!

I’ve done some gross things in my day.   Being a parent, it comes with the territory.  I’ve cleaned up my share of explosive diarrhea.  One time my son vomited a whole meal’s worth of chili.  From the top of a bunk bed.   It took me 2 days to get chili out of the carpet, off the walls and in the cracks and crevices of the bed.  Fun times.

But nothing–NOTHING–compared to a recent experience that I had with my dog.

I was just getting out of the shower when I heard my husband yelling, “Sherrelle, come quick!”   Thinking something was wrong with one of the kids, I ran downstairs in a towel where I was further summoned outside.  Throwing on a coat and my slippers I go out into the winter morning to see my son standing on the sidewalk holding our puppy, Chili Dawg.  And in his mouth is a dead squirrel.

Let’s stop for a minute and rewind.  Did you notice that my husband called me outside?  To take a dead squirrel out of my dog’s mouth while he watched from the porch?   And this is not the first time that I was asked to handle a dead squirrel.  When my dad removed a dead squirrel from our attic he handed it down to me in a trash bag, because he knows that my husband (who was standing right there) wasn’t going anywhere near it.

I’m not squeamish, but even I have my limits.  A dead squirrel in a trash bag is not the same as one hanging out of my dog’s mouth.  Oh, let me clarify: this wasn’t a dead squirrel (like from the attic); my dog had picked up squirrel road kill on his walk.   It was about 3/4 of a squirrel–minus the head–with blood and guts spilling out.  Yeah.

I actually tried to find photo online to accompany this story and there were many to choose from.  For some disturbing reason people take photos of squirrel road kill.   But I couldn’t bring myself to use a photo…my stomach turned just looking at the Google images.  I don’t believe that I will ever look at a squirrel the same again.

As disgusting as it was–AND IT WAS DISGUSTING–what choice did I have?  My kids couldn’t do it and my husband wasn’t going to do it.  My dog’s health depended upon me removing the squirrel from his mouth.  Which was not going to be easy, I could tell.  He had a death-grip on that squirrel and no amount of cajoling or bribing him with treats was working, so I put on rubber gloves and pried his mouth open.  To do this I was very close to the dead squirrel and the smell and site of squirrel guts was over-whelming.  I dry-heaved several times in the process, but finally pried the squirrel out of Chili Dawg’s mouth and threw it on the ground.   I disposed of most of the squirrel pieces before one final heave told me that I had reached my limit.  My husband (watching from the porch) saw that I could go no further and finished picking up the last bit of squirrel guts from the sidewalk.    I spent the next half hour sitting on the porch washing Chili Dawg’s face and brushing his teeth.

Still naked under my coat.

And that was the most disgusting thing that I’ve ever done.

It’s been called to my attention that my RSS feed was not working like it should be, so I did some geeky work and fixed it.  If you were having trouble with subscribing to my RSS feed before, please try it now.   You can click “Subscribe To Feed” on the right side of my blog page to do that.  Or, if you prefer, you can subscribe by receiving an email by clicking “Subscribe By Email.”

And if you’re not subscribed to Funkidivagirl.com, you really should be!

For those of you spend much of your time on Facebook (and who doesn’t?), good news!–I just added Funkidivagirl.com to Facebook Networked Blogs Directory.   Just go to my networked blog and click “follow” and when I update my blog you can read it on Facebook.   This is not to take the place of coming to my website, but just another way to read Funkidivagirl.com.

You might have noticed that I put a couple of new badges on my blog home page.  Click on the Facebook badge to become a fan of Chili Dawg (he does have some good status updates).   And you can see my latest 12 Second video right there inside the badge by clicking the “play button.”

Okay; the geeky updates are over.  Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

*I don’t get paid for my opinions in any way; this is just me sharing stuff that I like and I think you will too.  And if someone ever does pay me for a review, you will be the first to know.

Shopping with my daughter at Sprong, a local children’s shoe store here in Atlanta, we came across the cutest accessory and we just had to share.   Here’s my cute daughter modeling her necklace.  She wears it everyday.

First you choose a cord in one of many colors available and then you choose a bottle cap design to “snap” on to complete your necklace.  Yes, I said a bottle cap!   The design is on a bottle cap!   There is a powerful magnet on the back that snaps onto a metal ring, but the best part is that when you want to change your design, you just snap it off.   And there are TONS of designs to choose from!   I think it’s ingenious.

(photos by M3 Girl Designs)

The necklace is $8 and each bottle cap design is $8 as well.    We just bought the cord and one bottle cap on that day, but we will buy more bottle caps every time we go to that store.   I think it will make a great birthday present for any young lady.  I’m also thinking ahead towards Christmas when Snap Caps will make perfect stocking stuffers.

Besides being the cutest accessory that I have seen, I love Snap Caps because they are made by 2 young ladies.  You can read all about them on the M3 Girl Designs website, but these sisters started this company with their own money and they are quite successful.   I admire their creativity and entrepreneur spirit.   From what I understand there are now knock-off companies selling a similar product, but my daughter will be supporting M3 Girl Designs’ Snap Caps–while looking fabulously cute at the same time.

Like you, l am devastated by the destruction in Haiti.  But aren’t you amazed at the response for help?   It’s been incredible.   Of course there is more help needed.   This comprehensive list was sent to me by Mocha Moms.  If you want to help Haiti, please try any of the links below.

Two great links on how to help:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/13/haiti.earthquake.how.to.help/?hpt=Sbin

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/haiti-disaster-relief-how-to-contri bute/

In addition:

• Action Against Hunger – International agency has hundreds of staffers in Haiti. Already working to distribute food and safe drinking water, build latrines and provide hygiene kits. Click or call (877) 777-1420.

• American Red Cross – Has already pledged $1 million toward relief effort. Donors can send a $10 donation by texting “Haiti” to 90999.

• American Jewish World Service – Has launched a relief fund to support a networ k of charities. Log on to donate as little as $36. Click or call (212) 792-2900.

• AmeriCares – Has pledged $5 million worth of aid to Haiti, and is working with partners on the island to deliver food and medical supplies. Click or call  (800) 486-4357.

• Beyond Borders – Has established an Earthquake Emergency Response Fund to take donations earmarked for the most urgent needs, including food and medicine. Click or call (866) 424-8403

• CARE – Has deployed emergency teams to Po rt-au-Prince and will soon start distributing high protein biscuits from its warehouses in Haiti. Click or call (800) 521-2273

• Catholic Relief Services – Has committed $5 million of its funds for emergency supplies. Already has food and relief supplies on the island, and is distributing plastic sheeting, mosquito netting, and water purification tablets. Click or call (800) 736-3467

• Childcare Worldwide – Has staff in place to distribute food, clothing, blankets and medical supplies. Click or call (800) 553-2328.

• Direct Relief International – Has shipped two containers of medical supplies and plans a $2 million aid package. Plans to airlift via FedEx this week. Click or call (805) 964-4767.

• Doctors Without Borders – Has already treated more than 1,000 victims in four tent facilities. Is working to treat severely injured people in need of surgery. Click or call (888) 392-0392.

• Feed My Starving Children – Plans to distribute high-protein meal packs to children and adults. Click or call (763) 504-2919.

• Habitat for Humanity – Working to provide temporary shelter for poor families affected by quake. Click or call (800) 422-4828.

• Haitian Health Foundation – Anticipating total depletion of their resources and taking donations and money and hoping to address anticipated flood of refugees leaving Port-au-Prince. Click or call (860) 886-4357.

• Hope for Haiti – Stands ready to send doctors, nurses, medical supplies and equipment. Click or call (239) 434-7183.

• International Medical Corps – Has representatives at Port-au-Prince’s main hospital, providing medical care. Click or call (800) 481-4462.

• Medical Teams International – Initial response includes sending a six-person team with enough medicine and orthopedic supplies to help 12,000 people for a week. Click or call (800) 959-4325.

• Operation USA – L.A.-based organization sending medical supplies and appealing for pledges and corporate donations of health care supplies, water purification tablets and food supplements. Click or call (800) 678-7255.

• < p style=”margin-bottom: 4px”> Oxfam – Has 200 staff members in Haiti, including a 15-member emergency response team. Click or call (800)776-9326.

• UNICEF – Venerable agency focuses on the youngest victims, pledging that every dollar will go to aid. Click or call (800) 367-5437.

• World Concern – Soliciting cash as it helps in the rescue effort and provides drinking water, food and blankets. Click or call (800)755-5022.

• Yele Haiti – Wyclef Jean’s grassroots org.  Text Yele to 501 501 to donate $5 via your cell phone.

You can also find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information, or through USAID’s interactive website, which has a list of NGOs and instructions on how to help.

The U.S. State Department Operations Center said Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti should call 1-888-407-4 747. Due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording.