While attending a collector's show in Chicago a few weekends ago, I was roped into talking to an energy company about ways to save energy during the holidays. Pretty much everything she had to say I already did so it wasn't real helpful. But they had iPads on display for the kids to play an energy-saving version of a matching game akin to Bejeweled. While that occupied the kids, I was asked to fill out a survey on an iPad that the reps carried around.
As I stood there, one of the supervising reps walked up grumbling. In the course of the two and a half day event, they had managed to break two brand new iPads. Apparently they have fumbly fingers and dropped them on the concrete floor. I looked at both of them and said "Why don't you have cases on those?" The girl who was helping me looked at the supervising rep and said "Add it to your list." He immediately held up his iPhone and mumbled into it "Order iPad cases."
Duh. I thought having a case was a no-brainer.
This is me with my girls. They're growing up so fast and I just cannot believe it. Through opportunities presented as a result of blogging and social media, I have to say that I've been able to really connect with my girls. Sometimes, we play games and go places. This time, we talked.
Black Friday... Oh, how I love and loath you. Great deals are to be had but the crowds are absolutely unbearable. Although I'm a people person, I'm absolutely NOT a crowd person. So while others were braving the crowds and standing in line at other retailers in hopes of landing some deal or another, I was comfy and cozy checking out the deals at Sam's Club.
...and eating breakfast.
At Sam's Club.
Free. Nom nom.
My girls have it all figured out. Today's boys don't care about girls that can cook, can speak intellectually or keep a clean room - they care only about toys, video games and sports. Remember, I'm talking about pre-teens here...I don't need any of you putting any other ideas into their heads.
Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps
I started dance lessons when I was pretty young. Two and a half to be exact. I haven't a lick of talent when it comes to music but I could dance. That was my thing. Recitals back then were pre-personal video cameras so everything I remember is right.. up.. here. (You did see me tapping my brain, right?) And from what I remember, I was usually front and center. Dancing made me happy and it made me smile.
Still does.
While I no longer like being front and center, I still love to dance. When music is playing in the house, I'll often dance around when nobody is watching. Or when the kids are playing one of the dance video games, I'll stand on the sidelines dancing along.
It makes me happy.
It was a right of childhood - Taking the department store catalog and circling all the things you wanted. Checking out all the cool toys and figuring out which ones you really wanted. When I was growing up, there wasn't this huge bombardment of TV commercials telling kids what to buy. Mainly because there were only three television networks and the only time with dedicated children's programming was on Saturday morning during cartoons.
You know, because back then, Saturday morning was the only time cartoons were on.
The holidays are wonderful but there's no debating the fact that holidays and stress tend to go hand in hand. Everyone is busy. Things are hectic. Before you know it, time has ticked away and you haven't a clue what holiday gifts you're giving to the people you're closest to.
It should be easy since you know these people so well, right? Wrong. It's not. It never is easy. At least not for me. I tend to miss the dropped hints and even when I do hear them, my memory fails me and I forget. Or I get in a rut and go back for the same ideas over and over.
Like most kids, I didn't know too much about my parents' financial situation when I was young. In hindsight, I know we weren't well off. Sometimes things were pretty rough for my folks. Yet they always managed to make sure they gave us the things we needed as well as many of the things we wanted.
Suffice to say, I have great memories of my childhood.
If there's one thing I hope everyone remembers me for, it's the monumental change our family has made to our health. Not only do DH and I watch what we eat but we're also instilling these ideals into the girls. Arming them with the information as well as the taste buds to make healthy choices for the remainder of their lives.
We don't adhere to a strict menu and eat out when we want to. Yes, I've mentioned that before. We try to live in a way that makes us happy while also keeping us healthy.
I give the girls the freedom to choose what they want for breakfast because starting the day empowered is a much better way than being dictated.
Since moving back to the Midwest from California, I've wanted to attend the
Chicago Toy and Game Fair, also known as ChiTAG. The event is open to the public and not only are children welcome, but also encouraged! I've had it on my calendar every year but unfortunately, if it wasn't one thing, it was another.
This year, I have been given the opportunity to attend a blogger event at ChiTAG and along with the invitation comes the benefit of a family pass to give away to one of my readers. If you're interested in attending this year's ChiTAG event, enter to win a free family pass!
Chicago Toy & Game Fair
November 17th-18th, 2012
Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Nicole Brady
I really hate to admit this but my kids have no faith in my fashion sense.
At all.
I guess I can't blame though because I rely on my husband to help me buy new clothes. I'm perfectly happy in jeans and a sweatshirt but that isn't very fashionable. Comfy, yes. Fashionable, no.
I so desperately wanted to title this post "Get Out of My Life" but that probably wouldn't draw many people in. As I've said, I've been trying to get to my goal weight and with a huge pile of Halloween candy sitting around, it's not likely to happen anytime soon.
So I did some thinking and decided that ice cream would be a nice way to get some of that candy off the counter. We talked to the kids ahead of time and got the okay to raid their supply. While they were at school, DH and I sorted through to figure out what we had the most of and what would work well in ice cream.
A few weeks ago, I offered a giveaway to one lucky SAHM Reviews reader to
attend a webinar on mobile safety. While I was thrilled to be able to give one of my readers this great opportunity, I was even more thrilled to be able to participate in it myself.
As a 40-something with tweens, sometimes I feel old and out of touch. Being able to stay fresh and learn the latest in trends and issues is important to me. I attended the
webinar, presented by AT&T, addressing matters for children ages 8-11 and boy, oh boy, was I surprised by some of the data provided.
If I didn't feel old before, I sure do now...
I'm not sure where the obsession started but there is no denying it... Miss M is head over heels crazy about huskies. Her goal is to collect "Every husky in the whole world." She looks at stuffed ones, ceramic ones, pictures and more. That's a husky hat on her head which, mind you, she bought with her own money because she wanted it so bad.
While visiting my mother-in-law, we stopped into a store that had knick nacks and she saw a lamp with a base carved into wolves.
She wanted it because they look a lot like huskies but we drew the line. Huskies... Not wolves...
But she still loves them all.
