Tag: "mom"

Shopping For Savings, Mom Style

clearance sale banner

My Mom has always been a careful, frugal shopper. She only buys things when they are on sale. She gets to know the sales patterns in the stores, and sometimes the sales people, so she’ll know in advance when items she wants to buy are going to be marked down. When she finds something that she really likes she’ll buy multiples of it. I’ve seen her buy tops and pants of the same style in six colors.

Another thing she does to save money is buy ahead. She has even been known to buy seasons, on occasion even a year, in advance. She doesn’t only do this for herself, she shops for everyone this way. When my two youngest brothers were in high school she got them suits and even a tux, saving hundreds on rental fees for the proms they went to. My Dad and my brother LB2 tend to go to a lot of dress functions so she’s always got her eyes open for clearance men’s shirts. She’s always got an extra so if someone else in the family needs a shirt she can probably help them out. Just this past week she gave my son a brand new dress shirt for Confirmation.

Mom’s style of shopping doesn’t just apply to clothes. She heads out to the stores on the day after any holiday looking for mark downs on leftover merchandise. Each year on the day after Christmas my Mom sets out looking for everything – clothes, decorations, gifts, food, you name it. Holiday decorations are very high on the list. Each Christmas my parent’s decorate their house in a big way. It’s their way of showing the Christmas spirit. My Dad really does gets the yard looking great. Mom gets pieces they’re missing for the front yard, or starts planning the next thing she wants to add to the growing display.

May 10, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

Only A Few More Days To Florida!

map east coast i95

I’m so excited - I’m going to Disney next week! I’m really looking forward to seeing CJ’s reaction in the parks as he’s really into Mickey and Pooh. He and I are flying out on Tuesday. My parents, as well as my brother LB3 and his girlfriend Diva, are driving down. They left last night. I have a close relationship with my parents but always worry a little when they travel, which is often. You know what I mean right? Stuff happens. I’ve often thought it would be awesome if I could use gps real time tracking to keep tabs on where they are. Until there is an easier way I rely on phone calls. I’m a little worried because that area is expecting some severe weather, which makes driving a camper a bit less fun. Fortunately, my Dad will be sharing the driving with my brother, which should make the long drive easier and quicker. At 7:30 am this morning they were in Virginia and my Mom was eagerly awaiting checking out some outlet stores that she always stops at. I’ve never met anyone else who know where every outlet and mall is, no matter where she is. She’s like a 411 for malls. Do you know anyone like that?

Feb 05, 2010 | 2 comments | View Post

No More Cold Coffee

I hate the way some hot beverages cool off so quickly. At work if I’m in the mood for a hot beverage I drink coffee or hot chocolate. I sip both. A cup of hot chocolate is usually getting cold at ten minutes, coffee a little longer at fifteen.

My Mom knew that I like my coffee warm so she got me something to help solve the problem for Christmas. She got me a beverage warmer. I think of it as thermal heating services for my desk. It’s working out great. The hardest part of using it was finding an empty plug under my desk. I love it. My cup and its contents stay warm and tasty now. Thanks Mom!

Jan 11, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

Do You Think It’s Ok to Change Wedding Rings?

titanium wedding ring

As I’ve been losing weight more than my clothes are getting loose - my rings are too. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been dreading the day that I have to take them off because they’re too loose. I’m planning on trying a ring guard. It’s funny that I’ve grown so attached - I think it’s more because I’ve worn it since I got married than because it was from my Mom’s first set. See, RB and my wedding rings were my Mom’s.

A while back I was offered a tungsten ring from a potential advertiser. I turned it down, feeling it wouldn’t be right to just change wedding rings. Now not only is my ring loose, it’s also misshapen and banged up. I tend to accidentally bump into things. Now I’m wondering if I should have accepted the offer for a tungsten or titanium wedding ring.

Do you think it would be wrong for me to change wedding rings?

Jan 09, 2010 | 7 comments | View Post

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE - MUST HAVES - Belkin Flythru Laptop Case

belkin flythru case

belkin flythru case pocket

GIFT IDEA -BELKIN FLYTHRU LAPTOP CASE

Anyone that hasn’t traveled with my Mom doesn’t know the exquisite pleasure of almost missing a flight because everyone’s bags were being painstakingly gone through looking for drugs. A baggie of laundry detergent can look a lot like drugs I guess. Any luggage or bags that would end the humiliation inspection more quickly is a must have in my opinion, which is why the Belkin Flythru Laptop Case is a must have.

About the Belkin Flythru Laptop Case

Things are getting easier at the airport-with Belkin’s FlyThru, you no longer need to take your laptop out of the bag in the security line. This revolutionary new bag isolates your laptop on one side, and the clear window makes it easy for TSA agents to identify it. Just unzip the bag and lay it flat. Keep your other personal belongings away from the laptop and you should get the all clear. Enjoy your flight!

Mom was flying out to the West Coast this morning with my brother. She was bringing her laptop. Mom travels with a scooter and can’t juggle things well. It somehow comforted me knowing that she’d have less to juggle and take apart because she was traveling with her laptop in this case. The bag unzips in half to reveal a clear window over the laptop so that compartment can easily go through the xray scanner. The case has a lifetime warranty and will accommodate most standard and widescreen laptops up to 15.6″. I would like to see the case available in a size that could accommodate a 17″ laptop.

The Belkin FlyThru Laptop Case retails for $59.99 and can be purchased online and in select retail locations nationwide.

WIN IT!

ONE winner will receive a Belkin Flythru Laptop Case.

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter check out some of the other Belkin laptop accessories leave me a comment on this post telling me another product that you’d like to have and why.

BONUS ENTRIES

1 - Subscribe to my newsletter. (at top of sidebar)
1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed. (at top of page)
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here. (at top of page)
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
1 - Friend me on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/valmg
1 - Fave this blog at Technorati AND leave your Technorati name here.
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog. (in sidebar)
1 - Visit HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Saturday 01/02/09 at 11:59 pm est. If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won. Good luck to everyone!

The product(s) featured in this review was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Dec 26, 2009 | 139 comments | View Post

Visual Voicemail, A Possible Answer To Mom’s Problem

I’ve seen the term visual voicemail mentioned a few times lately and wondered what in the world it was. Smith Micro, a company specializing in computer security and technology, has come up with programming that allows you to get your voicemail messages without dialing your voicemail. From what I read they appear in a list on your phone, showing the number of the caller. That part doesn’t sound new, it sounds kind of like the received and missed calls list to me. What did sound neat is that you can see if you’ve replied or not, as well as forward messages from your contacts. Those mobile connection management features would be great for folks that use their cell phones exclusively or heavily. The feature it has that would be helpful to both customers and mobile phone companies is that is removes the need for voicemail passwords, omitting all of those calls to tech support for forgotten passwords.

We’re forbidden to leave my Mom voicemail messages on her cell phone - she can’t get them out. I don’t understand why not but anyway. It seems to me that a mobile connection manager might help her address that problem. Maybe I should see if I can buy her a year of it as a Christmas gift…

Dec 04, 2009 | 1 comment | View Post

Childrens Clothing - Are We Rushing Our Children To Grow Up?

I was out and about today looking at some children’s clothing. CJ needs some more long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts for the winter. Now he’s 10 years old but he’s very small. He’s only just gone into a size 8. Why is it that the nice, cute boys clothing stops at sizes 6 and 7? CJ likes things like Thomas The Train and cars. All the shirts I found were Transformers and similar things. The cute outfits stopped at size 7. And the underwear. We’re still fighting the potty fight, trying to get CJ to poop on the potty. He really liked his Thomas the Train underwear and we thought they sort of helped motivate him. Well unfortunately his size 6 underwear squeezed his “business” because he’d outgrown them. He’s not nearly as impressed by their replacements, more Transformers or some such thing. My Mom tells me that I have to let him grow up. I wonder instead why the rest of society is rushing their kids out of cute things. Are we rushing our children to grow up by dressing them in clothing that isn’t as young? Anybody else want to get in on this discussion?

Oct 24, 2009 | 8 comments | View Post

Finding The Perfect Gift

birthday present

Tomorrow is my Mom’s birthday. Even though money is tight I still want her to have a gift she’ll enjoy. I did look for gifts for her in a few local stores but had no luck finding the right one in any of them. Every year she and my Dad get a bit more challenging to shop for. They have just about everything but that’s not really the problem. The problem is that I’m picky. I won’t just gift any old thing I have on sale, I like to give just the right gift. Do you have any problems finding the right gift for certain family members?

Oct 23, 2009 | 1 comment | View Post

I Can Do Without This Cold

All in all this summer was fairly mild. We had a couple of really hot days but it wasn’t as bad as soon. Now we’ve gone to extreme cold for an October fall day. Northern New Jersey actually had snow a couple of days ago. I broke down and turned the heat on. My parents are leaving on one of their
Orlando vacations in two weeks. The idea of a bit warmer climate is appealing but that’s not the main reason I’m bummed we weren’t able to go. My Mom booked into a place that I’ve always wanted to stay. Also my brother LB2 and his fiancee are going. It would have been so much fun. Oh well. Maybe another time.

Oct 17, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Disney On Ice Fall Schedule And Special Discount Offer

disney on ice logo

My entire family loves Disney, especially my parents. One thing that my Mom would really love to do is go to see Disney On Ice. I’ve learned that they’re coming around to our area again in the next few months, and even have a discount offer for tickets that I can share with you.

Some people may not realize that there is more than one Disney On Ice show. Right now there are actually four different shows - Celebrations, Worlds Of Fantasy, 100 Years Of Magic and Princess Classics. Here’s a little information on each of them.

disney on ice celebrations

Disney On Ice Presents Celebrations

It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Enjoy a winter wonderland with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains, a Very Merry Unbirthday Party, a Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe. Come join the party when this spectacular ice show visits your hometown!

disney on ice worlds of fantasy

Disney On Ice Presents Worlds Of Fantasy

Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favorite Disney stories at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar’s CARS race across the ice. Dive into The Little Mermaid’s enchanting undersea kingdom and experience the ‘Circle of Life’ with The Lion King. Then enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies as they reveal the magic that lies within! From wheels to waves, Pride Lands to pixie dust, your family’s favorite Disney moments come to life at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy with dazzling skating, special effects and beloved characters certain to create a lifetime of memories.

100 Years Of Magic

Join the celebration as 65 of Disney’s unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic! You’ll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and all the Disney Princesses. Be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you’ll remember forever as Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!

disney on ice princess classics

Disney On Ice Presents Princess Classics

Dreams really do come true! Disney On Ice is proud to bring you a dazzling tale of hope, heart, heroism and hilarity as Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics. This stunning spectacle is an awe-inspiring and fun-filled journey to the magical lands of Disney’s classic fairy tales. Travel to a kingdom under the sea, an enchanted palace in France, an Arabian castle and more! Enter the fantasy worlds of your favorite Disney princesses – Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and Snow White – as they bring magic to your city in this royal skating extravaganza.

To learn more about Disney On Ice shows touring the country this year and to find shows in your area, visit the Disney On Ice site.

I think I’d most like to see Celebrations or 100 Years of Magic. Which show would you most like to see?

SPECIAL SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY FOR MY READERS

As a member of Mom Central, I’ve been given some fantastic offers for my readers. Be sure to watch for the “MC Promotion” box when purchasing.

* Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code “MOM” at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.
* Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price
Offer #3: Get the best Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in the Front Row and VIP sections just for you! No discounts available on these seats. Use the code MOM.

*Not valid on Front Row or VIP seats or combinable with other offers including opening night offers. Other fees may apply.

The above offers are good in the following cities:

St. Louis: September 3-6, 2009
Chicago: September 8-13, 2009
Sunrise: September 17-20, 2009
Dayton/Cincinnati: September 17-27, 2009
Miami: September 23-27, 2009
Auburn Hills: September 30 – October 4, 2009
Charlotte: October 8-11, 2009
Philadelphia: October 14-18, 2009
Atlanta: October 14-18, 2009
Oakland/San Jose: October 14-25, 2009
Fairfax: October 21-25, 2009
Sacramento: October 28 – November 1, 2009
Baltimore: October 28 – November 1, 2009
Uniondale: November 10-15, 2009
Houston: November 11-15, 2009
NYC: November 17-22, 2009
East Rutherford: November 24-29, 2009
Denver/Broomfield: December 3-13, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/12/09
St. Paul: December 9-13, 2009
Los Angeles: December 17-20, 2009
Toronto: December 18-27, 2009
Anaheim: December 22-27, 2009
Philadelphia: December 23 – January 3, 2010 *available for purchase on 10/12/09
Boston: December 26-29, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/3/09
Ontario: December 30 – January 3, 2010
Cleveland: January 8 -18, 2009 *available for presale on 10/2/09

These offers are also valid for Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey shows in select cities - visit www.ringling.com to find a show near you.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Feld Entertainment. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Sep 06, 2009 | 1 comment | View Post

Epic Summer Family Vacation Adventures

Both of the best vacations I’ve ever taken were all inclusive. It’s so awesome not to have to worry about last minute charges and how to pay for things. I learned about a new all inclusive family vacation that sounds like a lot of fun. Epic Summer Vacations aren’t just vacations, they’re adventures.

I love the idea of having someone put a package together to let a visitor experience the best parts of an area. It’s like having a friend or relative that lives in the area recommend activities to you rather than opening a phone book or relying on pamphlets found in a rest stop. Epic Summer vacations are set in Vail, Colorado and other areas like Keystone, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge. The adventures are full of activities such as gondola rides, whitewater rafting, hiking, horseback riding and gold panning. I can only imagine the terrific memories and photos a vacation like this would offer. It sounds like so much fun! You can learn more about Epic Summer by visiting http://www.epicsummer.com.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog and giveaway campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Epic Summer and Vail Resorts. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Aug 10, 2009 | 1 comment | View Post

Raising The Bar No Child’s Left Behind On TNT

I remember when I was about fifteen and dating my Mom would tease me, telling me she was going to show boys I brought home my baby pictures. Sounds innocent, right? It was. The pictures were of me as a baby, naked on my belly on a little rug. I always begged her not to show them to the boys because I didn’t want to be embarrassed by a boy seeing my behind. In reality the picture was no big deal. I recall many of my friends telling me their parents had similar pictures. It was the thing back then. Anyway. I’ve seen the picture, there’s nothing sexual about it. In fact, my Mom asked me a month or so ago if she could put it on her blog. I told her yes and it’s still there. I didn’t give the picture another thought until I previewed this week’s episode of Raising The Bar.

Raising The Bar’s “No Child’s Left Behind” will air tonight, Monday June 29 at 10 pm est. In this episode a father is arrested when a photo he took of his young son in the bathtub winds up on a child pornography site. Jerry finds himself representing a client who does not feel sorry and won’t accept a plea because he feels nothing wrong. I won’t tell you the outcome of the case, it’s better if you watch the whole thing yourself.

As a parent and a blogger I felt this episode of Raising The Bar hit very close to home. It definitely provided food for thought. It also provided for some open conversation between RB, our 13 year old TJ and myself. We all felt that the father (the defendant) was not guilty. RB and I agreed that if we had taken a photo of our child in a similar situation we would not publicize it. TJ felt that a nude photo is inappropriate until the subject is old enough to answer for themselves if they want it taken. We all felt that the system should definitely go after the people who purposely posted the picture on the porn site, not the father even though he took the picture. The father only took the picture because he saw it as a way to capture his son’s joy. If we start censoring our photos aren’t we censoring our memories in a way?

Take a peek at tonight’s episode and decide for yourself.

Please tune in tonight to TNT and watch this episode of Raising The Bar. It will provide you some important food for thought. I would love to hear your thoughts on sharing personal family photos on the internet. What photos do you think are inappropriate? Should parents that share photos should be considered guilty if their photos fall into the wrong hands. If you were a member of the Raising The Bar jury would you have voted innocent or guilty?

Jun 29, 2009 | 1 comment | View Post

Heads Or Tails 96

This weeks game is TAILS - “Summertime memory”.

One of my favorite summertime memories is from a camping trip taken several years ago. It was during early August, on a family camping trip to Watkins Glen NY. We camp there every year. We were all sitting outside - myself, RB, CJ, my Dad, my Mom and LB2. CJ had gotten so much watermelon juice on his shirt that his shirt looked pink and was permanently stained. He was quite pleased with himself. The only one not outside was TJ. He’d gotten fresh about something and RB told him to go to his room. Now we were camping, in a travel trailer. TJ took that opportunity to look his father right in the eye and said “it’s not a room, it’s a camper”. We had such a hard time not laughing out loud but after TJ went in we had a good laugh.

If you want to learn more about this fun meme or play along, visit Heads Or Tails.

Jun 23, 2009 | 7 comments | View Post

Review Of Fruit2O Natural Lemon Water

I like to drink water. Since surgery I’ve been trying some different beverages, to mix up my routine. This week I tried Fruit2O Natural Lemon, courtesy of my Mom.

Fruit2O comes in a variety of flavors including cherry, orange, tropical fruit, peach, lemon, strawberry, raspberry and grape. One serving of Fruit2O is eight ounces and contains zero calories, zero protein and 35 milligrams of sodium. Fruit2O is made by Sunny Delight Beverages, something I didn’t know.

I thought that the Natural Lemon flavor was quite similar to the flavor of a mild lemonade. It’s not too sweet or too sour. I liked it very much cold, from when I got it out of the refrigerator. Somewhere at about forty five minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator the bottle had almost reached room temperature, which is when I found that I don’t really like this drink unless it’s cold because it seemed to have developed an odd after taste.

A six pack sells for approximately $2.99 at my Shop Rite. Fruit2O comes in 20 fluid ounce bottles, 33.8 fluid ounce bottles, six packs of 20 fluid ounce bottles and 24 and 28 count variety packages.

Jun 01, 2009 | 2 comments | View Post

Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs

As a member of the Mom Bloggers Club I was given the opportunity to share my thoughts on Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs. I was happy to take part in this because I like Oscar Mayer Hot dogs. They have a wide variety of hot dogs - my favorite are the beef and the beef & cheddar. I took the $15 gift card they sent me and spent it on Oscar Mayer hot dogs, buns, chili and corn. I invited my parents over last night and we had an indoor cookout (it was looking pretty dark outside by then). We had a lot of fun just spending the evening together. Here’s a video RB took of me sharing my opinion. (I look a bit of a wreck, sorry.)

WPvideo 1.10

My Mom made her first video as well last night. We were having so much fun she couldn’t talk because everyone was laughing. Her video is up on her blog, Here And There. You can also see some other great videos on the Oscar Mayer YouTube channel.