Kitchen Stewardship

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It’s really easy for moms to forget about themselves when it comes to sun protection (or healthy eating, or getting enough sleep, or, or, or — fill in the blank, right?). We’re givers and caretakers who rarely take good care of ourselves.

I always want to make sure my kids get the safest treatment, whether that be the best mineral sunblock, sunshine to make Vitamin D, or shade and sun protective clothing to keep the rays away. My husband has such light skin that when we intertwine our fingers at the end of the summer, we look like a multi-racial couple because of my tanned olive complexion. He’s worn a rashguard and “black tarp” SPF 60+ chemical sunscreen for years.

It was easy for me to seek out sun protective clothing for them. It was sort of an unexpected treat to get something for me as well. Oh, I swore I wouldn’t use this picture in a post. It must be getting late and I’m punchy. Look out, you don’t want those pipes to punch you!  Sigh. I’m such a dork.

The point, really, is that the UPF sun protective swim shirts from Alex & Me for adults are cute. They’re sharp. They’re even kind of sexy, for men and women, and I mean that in a classy way, not the kind of degrading, take-your-clothes-almost-all-the-way-off-and-take-away-all-the-mystery-while-entering-into-at-the-very-least-the-near-occasion-of-sin way.

I like the way my husband looks in a well-fitted rashguard for swimming and sun safety. I felt attractive in my women’s rashguard, and I didn’t have to worry about bending over the wrong way or swimming too fast/getting hit by a big wave and losing something out the top of a low-cut swimsuit. Besides that, in this particular picture, my left shoulder was awfully sunburnt, and I was more than happy to hide under a real black tarp while grabbing the Vitamin D on my legs and the rest of my arms.

You can see more of my thoughts on sun protective clothing and why it has a place in our dressers, as well as a review of Alex & Me and their products. Our family received the black women’s rashguard I’m wearing, along with a long-sleeved sun protective swim shirt for my 2-year-old daughter. I bet she’ll be able to wear it for 3 or 4 years! The sleeves even need to be rolled up, but I like buying big and making them last. Important note: this women’s swim shirt runs small. They changed my size to one larger and were dead on!

Some Highlights of Alex & Me

• 12 years in business – in this industry, that’s actually kind of like the grandfather!
• lots of brands to compare
• all high UPF (and good explanation of what that means, “Ultraviolet Protection Factor”)
• not only swimwear, but also sun protective active wear (pants, polos, etc.)

My personal opinion? I think the product offerings at Alex & Me look classy, comfy, and of course, safe from UV rays. How about you? Want a little shopping spree?

WIN IT! $100 Gift Certificate

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED; THANKS FOR ENTERING! WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY.

As with the other giveaways this week, comments on this post are NOT entries. You must click on the entry form and fill it out to be counted in this giveaway.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Alex & Me and do some shopping! What would you spend your $100 on if you win and why?

You can also get up to NINE additional entries in the contest by doing any of the following (you’ll check a box on the form when you get there):

1. Subscribe in a reader or via email to Kitchen Stewardship (or tell me if you already do).
2. Follow @kitchenstew on Twitter AND tweet this:
   Please don’t sign up for the $400 in sun protection #giveaways @kitchenstew – I want to win $100 from @alexandme ! http://bit.ly/a3zuEa
3. Follow @alexandme on Twitter.
4. “Like” Kitchen Stewardship on Facebook.
5. “Like” Alex & Me on Facebook.
6. Enter at least one of the other giveaways this week (see links below).
7. Email 5 friends about this giveaway along with the link to it. (Email subscribers can forward their message.)
8. Stumble or Digg the natural sunscreen review at Kitchen Stewardship (you can use the Share This icon at the bottom of the post). What is Stumble?
9. If you have a blog or website, post about this giveaway linking back to this post and the natural sunscreen review. (You can even copy and paste that link.)

How to Get Five Bonus Entries in Every Giveaway

Please consider taking my 2010 July Reader Survey (~2-3 minutes), which will earn you FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES in all 8 sun protective giveaways this week (over $400 worth of prizes)! You’ll simply check a box in the contest entry form to count for your 5 entries. The survey itself is completely anonymous.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE READER SURVEY

I truly appreciate your input, which will help me improve Kitchen Stewardship by giving you what you want. The survey also gives me important statistics to help me explain to advertisers and sponsors (like the eight companies sponsoring giveaways this week) the benefits of working with the Kitchen Stewardship community. Thanks!

Enter Here:

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE ALEX & ME $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY!

Please remember, comments on this post are NOT contest entries.

I will use random.org’s integer generator to choose the winner.  Giveaways all close on Friday, August 13th at 11:59 p.m. EST, and the winners will be announced by Monday, August 16th.

Two more sun protective clothing giveaways: Nantucket Sun and Solartex.

Enter to win 5 kinds of sunscreen ($150 value) HERE.

If you missed the last Monday Mission, click here.

Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money.  If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.

Disclosure: I received products to review free of charge from Alex & Me, and they have offered the gift certificate for you, also free of charge. I earn a small advertising fee to run a giveaway, but that in no way changes my opinion in the review. Ya’ll know you can trust me not to sell out, right? Unless perhaps the price was right… Just kidding!

Hungry for more? Related posts:

1. Sun Protective Clothing Review: Alex & Me, Solartex, and Sungrubbies
2. Sun Protective Clothing Review: Cover Up and Get Out of the Sun?
3. Sun Protective Clothing Review: Thoughts on Two U.S. Companies
4. Food for Thought: Sun, Sunscreen, and Safety – How Much do You Need? (Part One)
5. WFMW: Frugal, Eco-Friendly Wedding Gift