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Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Great Bed Debate

I'm a comparison shopper to the core.  I research virtually every purchase I make--from shoes to cars and everything in between.  I am not an impulse shopper by any means.  I like to know that I'm getting the most out of my money.  We've recently decided to purchase a new mattress.  We spent more than $1,000 seven years ago on a Spring Air mattress at Sit N Sleep we are currently sleeping on.  It has decompressed on the sides where we sleep and there a "hill" now separating us.  I call it the Great Wall of Pillow Top.

So now that it's time to buy a new mattress, we started out today at Macy's for our first day of trying to find just the right mattress.  Things have changes in the last seven years.  There's memory foam and titanium lumbar supports.  There's visco foam and no flip-mattress mattresses.  My husband is convinced that about 50% of the stuff you hear about the "technology" of the mattresses is mumbo-jumbo and a line of cr@p.  I'm pretty convinced that they no longer make two-sided mattresses so that people have to purchase new mattresses more often.  On top of it all, my hubby is 6ft, 4in tall and I'm only 5ft, 5 in. tall, so needless to say, our needs in a mattress are a bit different.

Most frustrating of all if the fact that none of the stores have the "same" mattresses.  Ok.  Scratch that...they may have the same mattresses, but no two stores call the same mattress by the same name thus making it impossible for consumers to comparison shop and find the best value for their money.  How crazy is that?  Today at Macy's I really liked a Serta and Simmons mattress.  The mattress was great and Macy's said they would match any other stores advertised or documented price...but you can't because no store has the same name mattress!!!  Ugh!

Anyway, I'm not sure how the mattress saga will play out or how I will make myself feel better about not getting taken advantage of.  Any suggestions?

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

New Year's Resolution

I suppose this wouldn't be a proper blog without a post about my New Year's resolutions.  I make them every year and 2010 was the first time I actually stuck with them and saw (most) of them through.  I worked hard to try and downsize the "stuff" and eat healthier.  I also vowed to be more "in the moment" with my kids.  The eating healthy kick lasted until some time around October or November--the rest of them I worked on throughout the year.  I wasn't always successful in decluttering or living in the moment, but I was always conscious of my need to be at least trying.

2011 is going to be different than last year and the years before that.  I am claiming that 2011 is going to be the year I'm putting on my big girl panties.  That's right.  Big. Girl. Panties.  I seem to spend a lot of time in life worrying about what other people think or feel about me and in the process devaluing my own experiences and feelings.  Sometimes I look in the mirror and barely recognize the woman staring back at me and that's going to change in 2011.  I feel like over the last decade I have lost sight of who I am and what I love and what makes me happy.  This year, I am going to embrace the things I love and care about myself as much as I care about my children and husband and all of the other people I cherish. 

In life, it's so easy to get lost in role of wife and mother.  Sometimes it's just easier to be what everyone wants you to be, to care about what they care about.  This year, I need to refocus a bit on me because if I am a me that I love and I am happy with, I can be a better mother, wife, and friend.  I am going to live in the moment, cherish the people and things I love, lead a healthier lifestyle, and focus on the things that truly make me happy while minimizing the negative things (and people) that bring me down.

I am slowly pulling on my big girl panties, and it feels awesome.  I encourage everyone who reads this to pull on their big girl panties in 2011--make positive changes and take control.  Get in touch with yourself, what you love, and what makes you happy and in the process we can all be better moms, sisters, friends, wives, and daughters.

Monday, December 27, 2010

I was the first Haute Mom...

Ok.  You all know I'm not all that haute, but my friend Kelley over at the blog Haute Mom sure thinks so and made me her first inductee into her Haute Mom's Club.  Thanks, Kelley, for the props and for having such an awesome blog.  Please check out Kelley's blog.  She is a new mom dealing with the ups, downs, and discoveries new moms experience!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Portable North Pole

Last night my mom called to tell me about a cool website a friend told her about.  The site is called Portable North Pole and it is a site that allows you to make a personalized video from Santa for your children...for FREE.  The site allows you to personalize with your child's name, age, pictures, special events from the past year, and more.  It is so incredible.  I just our middle son the video we made for him last night and he flipped.  It was so darling.  Here's a link to our video.  It's shorter because it is for a preschooler.  There are longer video lengths for older children.


http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/ob7q2BLuB4RQ_WXX3g-HQw

Friday, December 10, 2010

It's time to get my craft on!!!

Creating holiday magic for the family has never been easier or more enjoyable!  Disney Online introduces the new “All Things Merry: A Guide to the Holidays,” a comprehensive source for holiday planning with simple and budget-friendly ideas for holiday recipes, unique crafts, homemade gifts and much more!   I especially love Family.com because the recipes, crafts, and the like are created by "real" people, which means someone like me (wink, wink) can make the food and the crafts!

On Family.com guests can find simple and delicious holiday dinner recipes for main course entrees, soups and starters, dressing and sauces and inspirational side dish ideas, such as how to make spectacular spuds with a list of Holiday Potato Recipes. To finish off a holiday meal or party just right, there is a gallery of Perfect Pie Recipes and 20 Tempting Holiday Treats. Or families can make some holiday magic together in the kitchen, by baking up a batch of sweet Snowman Cookies or festive Candy Cane Cookies, featured on FamilyFun.com.

For fun and budget-friendly ideas for holiday crafts and decorations, guests can find simple instructions for homemade Christmas ornaments on FamilyFun.com and decorative Christmas crafts at Kaboose.com. This year, Family.com offers a new series of how-to videos for making adorable Disney-themed holiday crafts, like Mickey Mouse Snowman Cards, and a guide for making other creative Disney Christmas ideas, perfect for Disney fans of all ages! 

Kids can make their own homemade Christmas gifts for loved ones, such as an easy-to-construct yarn candy cane ornament or a cute reindeer hand print. Kids can also have some fun with Christmas coloring pages or online Christmas games.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

What's up with 3D?

You'll have to excuse me for a moment while I slip into my granny panties, but I've gotta pose a questions.  What's up with the whole 3D craze?  3D is everywhere--TV, movies, books, even video games.  I just don't get it.  Let's get one thing straight.  If they medium is in 3D, it still isn't real.  Let's get another thing straight.  3D add much to most movies or television shows.  All 3D does is add extra cost to whatever it's tagged on to and...well...give me a headache!  Ugh.  That's all.  I'll go drink my prune juice and yell at some kids on my lawn.