When I worked full-time at my former PR job, I made arrangements with my boss to work 8-4 instead of the standard 9-5 so I could get my kids’ daycare on time. I worked an hour away and if I left at 5, there was no way I’d make it on time, especially considering Ohio winters and associated traffic jams.

She agreed.

So every day at 3:55, I’d be frantically saving emails and shutting off my computer. From my office to my car was a seven-minute walk and if I wasn’t on the freeway (another two minutes away) by 4:07 traffic would start to get congested and it would take an additional 25-30 minutes to get home. Yes, I had it down to a science.

But every day (and I mean every day), someone would poke their head in my office at 3:50. “Hey Tara, I just want to run this by you…” and then proceed to eat up all my precious I-gotta-wind-down-and-gather-my-stuff-and-run-out-of-here-as-professionally-as-I-can time. It never failed. I spent so much time banging my head against the steering wheel with that job, mentally wiped out after spending 2+ hours in the car every day.

So I know the working mom struggle very well. I was excited to see Sarah Jessica Parker’s take on it in I Don’t Know How She Does It, about a high-powered financial analyst Kate Reddy and her struggle to juggle kids, a demanding job and a marriage that’s buckling under the strain. (Redbox, $1.)

In the movie, Kate’s up for landing this big deal for her firm, which means she is putting in extra work and flying to New York to woo a client. Meanwhile, her husband’s working on his own career and trying to make some big moves of his own. She has a single mom best friend and her enemies, the Momsters, are these perfectly perfect stay-at-home moms, who have the time to pull off delicious cookie trays for the kindergarten bake sale, when Kate is left to destress a store-bought pie and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.

Some critics thought no one would care about how she does it, because hey, women have been doing it for a long time and we’re in a recession so just hush up about how hard it is to have a great job. But I thought the movie was less about her job and more about how even though Kate had more money, she still struggled with every aspect of her life.

My “favorite” scenes in the movie:

• Kate’s mother-in-law asking Kate if her 2-year-old son wouldn’t have speech delays if she was home with him more.
• Kate’s snotty co-worker congratulating her on a big win by telling her that her kids will have more time to spend with the nanny.
• Kate rushing to the hospital after her son tripped on the carpet and fell down the stairs.

But my favorite scenes came between Kate and her husband, Richard. Not because of how they went, but because of how I wish they had gone.

For example, Kate had a big presentation at work that day and her husband had a big work dinner that evening. Kate was so preoccupied with work that she looked down and realized she was going to be late getting home. He left the kids with a sitter that she didn’t know and she was upset. “Kate, the kids were okay. Sometimes okay has to be good enough,” he snapped.

But here’s my problem. When we talk about how hard it is to be a working mom, does anyone ever say how hard it is to be a working dad? No. Not ever. Because (and I saw this first hand with my relationship) it is assumed that the women will take care of everything. Kate had a “list” of things to do throughout the movie – do the laundry, find a back-up babysitter, fix the carpet on the steps, make a pie for the bake sale. And then her husband got praised for being “so hands-on” because he changed the kid’s diaper. What? Come again?

EVERY problem in the movie fell on Kate’s shoulders. When he told her he had a meeting, he didn’t try to help her figure out who was going to watch the kids. He just assumed she would do it. And when plans fell through, somehow it was her fault.

I enjoyed the movie but I really wish it had wrapped up with SJP really laying down the law. Get a back-up babysitter. Let her husband worry about the bake sale. Ignore the Momsters. Take herself on a vacation.

The moral of the story is this: Do what makes you happy. Remain calm. Get some help. A real support system.

Have you seen the movie? What did you think? 

A couple weeks ago, I took my son and daughter to the park and after they ran off some stream around the slides and climbing walls, we took a stroll so I could just talk to them and hear what’s going on inside their little heads.

My son leaned against my arm and said, “Mommy, is it hard for one mommy to take care of two babies?”

I was in shock that, at 3, he would even ask me a question like that. “Yes, sometimes it’s hard.”

He looked up at me thoughtfully and said, “I wish we had two mommies. And then the other mommy could help you.”

Wow, I thought to myself. I really need to give these kids more credit. Sometimes I don’t think they are paying attention to the decisions we’re making about who is home with them, and how the transitions are going. It was a simple statement, but it spoke volumes and made me vow to be more open and honest with the kids on work, home and how moms make it work all over.

That’s why I was glad I purchased a copy of Welcome To My World, a new group ebook featuring essays from work-at-home moms, stay-at-home moms and mom who work outside the home. I saw myself in all of these mothers and had to read a couple passages out loud to my husband, because they summed up what being a WAHM was like in ways I never could. Take this paragraph for instance, in which a mom discusses the fantasy versus the reality of working from home:

“That flexible schedule means I need to make every moment of the school day count (free childcare!) so I can get my work done in my woefully abbreviated day. Volunteering in the classroom or skipping out for a luxurious latte is time I can ill afford to take away from my work…The two hours I could spend sorting books in the school library, or zipping off to meet my old pal, is two hours I will need to make up after bedtime, which is two hours less sleep, which wreaks havoc on my morning…and my mood — and consequently my kids’ lives.”

THIS. IS. THE. TRUTH. Well, except the free childcare part, since I am actually paying for my daughter to go to private school. But I see myself in the stay-at-home moms as well, because they don’t sugarcoat what it’s like to be at home all day with the kids. Sometimes it’s awesome, and sometimes you feel like, “What am I doing here?” I could relate to the working moms and the exhaustion of working a full day and then starting that second shift at home. Oh yeah, I’ve been there as well.

It’s a wonderful mix of mom bloggers, and while the tagline says they “debate who has it harder,” I don’t feel like they discuss that at all. It’s more about how do mothers do what they do and raise kids in a way that makes them proud. At $6.99, I felt it was a great read and I was happy to hear that I was not the only one to feel the way I do. That’s always a great feeling.

I really do recommend you pick up a copy because all proceeds get split between the writers. Since we’re launching a group ebook soon, I’d like to consider this good karma. We’re all in this together.

You can purchase your copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.com. If you get it, let me know what you think!

First of all, I have to say I feel horrible that it’s taken me so long to review these products. I received some Shapercise shapewear, along with some Kushyfoot Flats To Go and Foot Covers before Christmas but am just now hitting “Publish” on the post. Why? A few reasons:

1) As a work-at-home mom, I don’t go anywhere that requires me to wear shapewear. Yeah, I could’ve just thrown ‘em on and worn them around the house, but, um, who does that? I’m pretty sure no matter how comfy the shapewear is, I’m not going to want to be lifting laundry baskets and tackling kids in it.

2) I live in Ohio so folks know better than to plan events where guests are asked to dress up from the months November until April. Who wants to trudge through snow and slush in your brand-new pumps? Not I. So I was waiting until I had an actual “event” to go to.

So there you have it.

I was pretty skeptical when the PR people working with the Shapercise brand contacted me. Not about the shapewear – I had no doubt that it would slim you down somewhat. But it helps you burn calories while you wear it? Hmm…let’s try this out.

I wore the Shapercise to the Music Matters concert featuring Melanie Fiona and Marsha Ambrosius. I have to say – it was a little better than your average shaper. No rolling down, it stayed put and best of all, I felt slimmer in it.

Did it burn more calories? The jury is still out on that one. I didn’t remember to grab my heart rate monitor watch so I could check my calorie expenditure. But really – I understand the messaging (resistance band toning is hot now) but if you’re buying this in the hopes that you’ll lose weight by wearing the shaper, I’d suggest you think again. But if you’re in the market for a new shaper to simply erase some of the jiggles and lumps, try the Shapercise on for size.

Along with the Shapercise came these beyond awesome foot covers that give extra padding to the bottom and back of your foot. When you’re wearing shoes like these…

it allows you to wear them for an extra half hour or so without throwing in the towel and walking to the car barefoot.

But in case you do, throw in the towel and think the walk on cold concrete would be preferable than spending one minute in the 4+ inch heels you thought were so cute only hours before, they have cute fold-up slippers you can put in your bag, that take up virtually no space. At $9, I’d say they’re worth it.

For more on Kushyfoot products, click here.

Candles are a personal weakness of mine. I have a thing about rooms (especially bedrooms) smelling good. It’s hard because our bedroom is right above the kitchen so some nights I come to bed and our room smells like curry, or BBQ chicken, or fettuccine Alfredo.  All awesome smells, but when it’s time to, um, love on each other, I don’t want to feel like I’m cozying up to a plate of leftovers. That ain’t hot.

So I recently got the opportunity to try out a massage candle from Eden Fantasys that I felt would kill two birds with one stone. Massage? Candle? Make the room smell pretty AND get the party started? Yes, please!

Alright, here’s a teeny confession: Call me slow but I had the hardest time figuring out what I was supposed to do with a massage candle. Like, you pour wax on me? Or you rub me with the candle? I didn’t get it. (Quit laughing at me!)

So we lit the candle and got started. And waited. And waited a little longer. I figured I’d go take a shower and by the time I was done, we’d be ready to roll.

Eh, no such luck. We waited another 5 minutes, got impatient and used it with the wax that had melted. (A couple tablespoons’ worth…just enough for my massage. Hehe.)

I had two concerns:

1. I was a little nervous about the wax being too hot and scorching me, but surprisingly it was the perfect temperature.
2. Putting candle wax on me? Am I going to have to chip it off in the morning? Luckily, it wasn’t too waxy or oily. Perfect consistency.

Lesson learned – light that sucker and wait at least 20 minutes. Then it’ll be perfect.

Disclosure: Eden Fantasys gave me a complimentary candle to try out.

If you’re a fan on our Facebook Page (1,735 young mamas and growing!) you know that Eden Fantasys (yes, for the grown and sexy) is one of the sponsors for this blog.

I realized, after taking to Maria, the self-described sex toy whisperer (seriously, what a cool job) and blogger outreach coordinator for the company, that I don’t talk about sex much on this site.

Why is that, I wonder? I know previously, I shied away from talking about sex because well, I try to keep SOMETHING private and even though I blog about everything under the sun, my sex life remains in the dark.

But even if I don’t talk about my sex life, I could probably stand to inject a bit more “how to have a healthy sex life” into this here blog. Because isn’t that what we all want?

I started reading the EdenCafe blog, associated with Eden Fantasys, to get some ideas about what to write about. I mean, if you can’t get ideas from a blog that has sex toy reviews and demos (no, they are not graphic), then where can you go?

Maria directed me to the Sex and Parenting category and bam! I hit the jackpot. This post, written by a freelance writer/blogger who’s also a stay-at-home mom, might as well have been written by me. Sex and exercise can indeed make the stress melt away.

Or this post, on finding body confidence after having a baby. So many moms could relate to that.

I’m on a never-ending quest to make more time for pretty and we know that it can lead to improvements in other areas too. *wink, wink* So head over to the EdenCafe blog and browse with me, will ya?

P.S. Did you know you could write for the EdenCafe blog? They pay, too – in the form of Eden Fantasys gift cards. So what better way to build up your spice chest?

You all know I don’t do many reviews and giveaways on this site. I created it not to become all “commercialized” but to have a community of young mothers who understand each other and can give each other advice. Now, if I do review something, you know it’s gotta be good, right?

I received a reviewer code from Mixbook.com to create my own photobook, which is something I can’t get enough of. I love having something that looks and feels like a book, but is starring my two favorite people – my kids. I usually use Shutterfly for all my photo needs (didn’t that sound like straight out of a commercial? LOL) but I was more than willing to give Mixbook a try. Sometimes I feel Shutterfly is a little too complicated, even though the photo quality is gorgeous.

So I logged on Mixbook and was pleasantly surprised at some of the layout options. They were very cute and sophisticated, something that is missing with some photo-sharing sites.

I quickly uploaded photos (time-saving tip: put all the photos you want to use in your book in a separate folder on your hard drive) and click and pasted the photos on the pages. Add some cute captions and you’re done.

Color me impressed.

If you’d like to win a FREE 20 page, 11×8.5 hardcover landscape photo book with FREE  shipping (meaning it’s really, really free), please leave a comment saying what kind of book you’d like to make (baby, wedding, year in review, etc). I’ll announce the winner tomorrow at 5 p.m.!

If you’d like to try out Mixbook.com (and perhaps make someone a holiday gift?) here’s a discount code for 20% off with no expiration date: PROMAMX20

The most compelling hour of TV last week was no doubt the latest episode of MTV’s 16 & Pregnant.

Now – you guys know I watch the show. You watch the show. We’ve already talked about it. But I swear to you when I watched this, my heart just crumbled. Into a million itty-bitty pieces. I haven’t sat with my mouth wide open like this in a long time. Let’s recap, shall we?

Christinna is a 17-year-old New York state gal who moved with her mom down south. She met a boy. Captain of the football team.

8 months later….surprise!

Christinna and Isiah are in love (I guess) and they’re trying to make it work. Before baby, Christinna had finished high school early so she could go away to college with Isiah, who has a football scholarship to an unknown university.

But now? Isiah has given up his scholarship to stay home and get married to Christinna, much to his mom and grandma’s horror. They can’t stand Christinna, because they see her as the reason their son/grandson will never amount to anything in his life now. Isiah has a job at a sandwich shop, which brings in a whopping $900 a month. Because Christinna’s mom hauled ass back to NY, they all live in Isiah’s grandmother’s (?) house, one big highly dysfunctional family.

Got all that? You can watch the whole episode here:

But watch this quick snippet for a taste:

When I was pregnant in college, I was just hoping, hoping, hoping that I would never have to bring my daughter to class. I wanted to fit in and be like everyone else. I didn’t want to be the “mom.”

I wanted to be normal.

But alas, one cold March day, I had no choice. My boyfriend had to work, my parents were too far away, I had no babysitter. So I bundled her up, put her in her baby carrier and off we went.

I eased into class about five minutes late, hoping if the lecture had already started, then there’d be less need to explain why I had a kid in my arms.

But no. My professor was a chatty woman, and she hadn’t begun class yet. I settled in my seat and got my daughter out of her little snowsuit. She has been comfy and half-sleep, so she was pissy. She started fussing. My attempts to shush her and rock her were failing and if I didn’t get her wound down, then I’d end up spending class in the hallway – and what was the point of that?

My professor heard the ruckus and sauntered over to me and cooed at my little one. “Hey, sweetie,” she said. She reached out her arms. “May I?”

I hesitated for a moment, only because I knew she was going to start class soon and I didn’t want to keep passing her back and forth. But I handed her over.

Immediately, my daughter quit crying and snuggled on my professor’s chest. My professor smiled and headed to the front of the class.

And do you know, she taught class that day while holding my daughter? And I was free to take notes and listen and take my exam without a baby in my arms. How awesome was that?

But all professors aren’t as understanding and not all college students feel like they can bring their kids to class with no repercussions.

This book, written by Sherrill W. Mosee, addresses this and other issues student parents face as they chase that degree. Filled with essays from student moms on how they overcame obstacles and made the impossible happen, it also gives practical advice surrounding child care, support systems, and college programs.

In truth, I wish I had this book when I was in college. It’s that helpful.

I’m giving away a copy to a lucky reader – all you have to do is leave a comment saying you’d like to win. Simple, right?

The giveaway ends Friday at noon so enter now!

Who here has never struggled with self-esteem? Or knowing what you wanted to do in life but being scared to start? How many of us have fallen in love with the wrong man, but realized it too late? How many of us don’t know our true worth and settle for things that are beneath us?

If you have your hands in the air, then I urge you to pick up a copy of this book, On All the Things That Make Beautiful. Nadirah Angail has written a beautiful book dedicated to the women who are almost there, who still struggle from time to time with doubt and confusion.

I know I found myself in its pages and I know you will too. Nadirah was gracious enough to send me three copies and I will be keeping one for myself. That leaves two copies for my dear readers.

To win a copy of the book, simply leave a comment answering the question, “What makes you beautiful?” I’ll pick two winners on Monday, July 5. Good luck!

If you missed the interview with Nadirah on why she decided to write the book, and what she hopes young moms get from it, click here.

My kids love applesauce. Like I should probably figure out how to get some stock in Mott’s because my kids go through it like it’s air. I try my best to get the low sugar kind, without added sugar or high fructose corn syrup – eww.

So when the folks at GoGo squeeZ contacted me to review their applesauce in a pouch – I was hooked. 100% applesauce? In pouches? No mess? SIGN.ME.UP.

So we received three flavors – appleapple (how cute!), applecinnamon and applestrawberry, which was my favorite.

I untwisted the caps and gave my both my babies (a 3-year-old and a 20-month-old) a pouch before they got in the car to head off to daycare.

Not a drop spilled. Say what? I couldn’t believe it either.

They were very tasty and I love the fact that it’s all-natural and just plain ol’ good for ya. I don’t like that the pouches are so little, but that has more to do with my adult-sized appetite than being the best size for my little ones.

Go here to see if they have it at a store near you. If not, you can always order it off Amazon.com. 

 I don’t review products very often, but I get tons of offers and I only select ones that I can TRULY recommend without hesitation. THIS is one of those products.

Last week, I took my daughter on a plane for the first time. By myself.

I was NERVOUS.

My daughter (who’s 3) is, um, particular. Like, she’s not this curious little girl who’s in awe of the world and wants to go explore it. Nope, not really. Leave her in her bedroom with a stack of Curious George books and a juice box and she’ll be straight for a couple of hours.

So the idea of dragging her through the airport, through security, onto the plane, having her SIT on the plane for two hours, then on the shuttle to get the hotel, literally made my face break out.

I started planning for this trip back in December. I figured my daughter is always grabbing my iPod Touch – why not find some apps for her to keep her occupied? (Side note: My daughter tried to play me, asking me why I don’t have an iPhone. What does she know about an iPhone, other than she wants one for Christmas? *shaking my head* Kids today, I tell ya.)

I downloaded Doodle Buddy first. You are basically  just drawing with your finger and you can change colors, add icons, blur, etc. She loves that one, but it’s pretty basic.

So when Lynette from PicPocket Books reached out to me about reviewing their app, it was like a sign from the heavens. PicPocketBooks offers children’s books for mobile devices (including the iPod Touch, which I think is really sweet), and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it to review. This was about to save my plane trip to Florida.

I received three codes and went to download my books. I didn’t show them to my daughter until we were on the plane, in the air. Once she saw it, she was intrigued. I told you, all she wants to do is read. She cares little about the format. I stuck the little earbuds in her ear, put the volume on low, and watched as she flicked her finger across the screen like a pro, “flipping” the pages of the book. Hard to believe she’s only 3.

She’s learning to read now, so I liked how the words were highlighted as it read to her. And did I mention it saved my plane trip?!?! She particularly enjoyed the book, “I Can Do It Too!” probably because she’s at the age where…well, she can do it too. LOL.

Needless to say, all the books were a hit. Now I have them on my iPod and I can whip them out whenver we have a few minutes to kill. While I received the codes for free, the books are totally affordable, with the most expensive titles priced at $3.99.  

So I have to say a HUGE thanks to PicPocket Books for allowing me to arrive in Florida with my sanity still intact.

I owe you one.

As I’ve written about before, I was an early fan of TLC’s Jon and Kate Plus 8. I watched the first hour-long special intensely, wondering how on Earth these young parents (I think Jon and Kate were about 26 and 27, respectively, when they had the sextuplets) were going to manage with eight kids. Then I watched the second special. And I kept watching once they got a regular show.

Kate pregnant with the sextuplets - WHEW!

At first, the kids were too cute, tottering around, learning to speak, being mischievous. I laughed as Jon and Kate hurled insults at each other, only to make up once the kids were in bed. I never wanted to be like them, but I found their lives interesting.

Now, a few seasons later, the backlash against the family has reached an all-time high. Sites like Gosselins Without Pity blast Jon and Kate for what they perceive is the exploitation of their kids. Other former viewers say they can no longer watch the show after the premise changed from watching the family of 10 struggle with everyday life, to watching the family of 10 go to Disney World, on cross-county vacations, living it up in Hawaii for a vow renewal. Viewers, who used to think, “Glad that isn’t me,” now watch the show and say, “Man, why isn’t that me?”

Admittedly, I think some of the backlash is warranted. The timing of the show couldn’t be worse. While the recession deepens every day, viewers are treated to sneak peeks of the Gosselins new million-dollar house, and episodes with only one parent are becoming more and more common as Jon or Kate are traveling to promote their new book. I find it harder and harder to watch the show now.

Plus – is it just me or has Kate been really evil to Jon lately? She’s never been the nicest wife, but watching her belittle him for the slightest thing makes me extremely uncomfortable.

I don’t normally care how other people behave or what other families do, but I feel like I need to stick up for Kate (just a bit). Yes, she’s hard on Jon and probably needs to work on that (ASAP), yes, she has a foul attitude in most of the new episodes (clever editing, I hope?) and she’s always yelling. But don’t you think it would be extremely hard to parent 8 kids under a national spotlight? No, I don’t feel bad for her because she made the decision to do the show and as a result can live a better lifestyle than if they opted not to. But it’s got to be hard to hear all the complaints about what a horrible mother you are and why you’re kids are going to be screwed as a result of the decisions you made.

What about you? Do you watch the show? Has it changed for you?

Out of all the parenting mags out there, I tend to get Parents most frequently. I can usually count on it for a few tips here and there to make my life easier, and these days, it’s well worth the $4.

Parents, March 2009 issue

Cover: Blah. Cute kid but come on! Every month, the photographer must be like, “Plop the kid on the some pillows. Gimme a giggle, kid. Annnnddd, we’re done.” Although all the cover lines look promising: “How to Raise a Healthy Eater,” “Budget Disney,” “Discipline Don’ts,” and “Easier Outings with Baby.” If I were a first-time mom I’d be all over this issue!

Worth the read: “Break your kid’s bad food habits” on pg. 38 has tips on how to keep your kids from preferring the sweet stuff and drinking too much juice during the day. The “Solutions” section on pg. 96 has some really handy tips from other mamas. My fave? Amy Rush, a mom from St. Louis, uses a cheap plastic colander to dry her son’s bath toys and as a inexpensive toy during tubtime. I wish I thought of that.

Skip it: It’s “Baby, Don’t Go There!” feature on page 118 tells new parents about the appropriateness of bringing the baby to certain social settings. Hmmm…I think people discover soon enough if it’s okay to bring babies to funerals, restaurants and the movie theatre. It all depends on your particular kid and how long you plan to be there. Period.

Rating: 3 pacifers out of four. If I had the time, I’d tear out some of these articles so I can put them to good use a little later. Good job, editors!

Have you read this issue of Parents? Let me know what you think!

(Be warned this is a rant.)

I got this month’s issue of Domino magazine today and I was really happy to see it ever since I heard that it was folding. Although everything in there is high-priced, I still look at the pictures to see if I could copy the design elements without the hefty price tag.

Then I checked out the cover and almost went berserk.

It’s the “Age issue,” where they give design advice according to what lifestage you’re in. Here’s where my madness begins.

The 20-something guy (whose motto is “Do whatever you want, whenever you want”) lives in a spare one-bedroom Manhattan apartment and celebrates the fact he remains stylish even though his place doesn’t have any closets.

The 30-something couple are newlyweds and their piece is all about merging two different design styles.

The 40-something style director is profiled in an article titled, “Embrace real life.” She’s talking about creating great style even though she has “children, husband, full-time job.”

Now I’m upset. Because I’m a 20something married mama, the piece I should relate to the most – the free-wheeling single guy –  pisses me off most. Are all married folks 30 and over? Are you only a mother once you hit 40? Does your “real life” not count if you do things sooner than the traditional time frame?

Where is the design advice for the young moms who want their apartments/homes to look cute even though there are Cheerios on the floor? Who is giving me tips on how to buy a couch that won’t show stains every time my son vomits on my shoulder?

So I’m adding a new feature to this blog where I’ll highlight design tips and tricks that are affordable and that work for moms with young babies.

Know any good places to buy furniture/bedding/accessories that are inexpensive and baby-friendly? Let me know!

where I put my journalism degree to work and devour the latest parenting magazines so you don’t have to!

Parents, February 2009, $3.50

Cover: Same old, same old. Man, am I tired of seeing the same smiling faces month after month. All the pink is pretty though, but it’s a February issue – what do you expect?

Useful advice:

• On pages 30-32, there’s a ton of tips on how help your babies with the stomach virus.

Worthwhile articles:

• “The 5-Second Discipline Fix” (pg.36) – Surprisingly, I found this one very helpful, maybe because I’m dealing with this now. It’s all about how to talk to kids so they’ll listen. I’m guilty of ending every sentence with, “Okay?” so much that my daughter has started doing it. In my quest to be nice to her, I haven’t mastered how to talk to her in a way that is both firm and kind.
• “Baby it’s cold out there” (pg. 86) – Good tips for taking care of baby’s skin in the winter.

Skip it:

• “Use your noodles” (pg. 42) – It’s a good concept (five new ways to cook pasta) but the recipes looked a little bland. Kids usually don’t like a lot of spice, but they do like flavor.

Rating: 2 pacifers out of 4

Did you read this issue? What did you think?

1 pacifer – skip it entirely

2 pacifers – browse it at the bookstore or library

3 pacifers – keep some articles for reference later

4 pacifers – Good job, magazine editors. Darn good job.