Product Endorsements

After my last post about the endorsement for the SHARK steam mop I thought I would make a few more product endorsements. These have really been great purchases and I'm always touting them.



1. The Peg Perego Aria Twin Stroller. This is the 2010 version and mine is much older, but it has been perfect. It is narrow enough to fit through doors, shopping aisles, over grass, on dirt trails, everywhere. It folds up fairly small, holds a ton below, and the trays can come off the front easily when the kids get older and need to get in and out easier. The seats lay back at any angle. The shades on top hold things if you need them to. My only complaint is that it is not built for large beverages that the mom may want to take along. It is made in Italy and the cup holder is pathetic. I've gotten around that by storing my drink in between the two shades.

#2 - The Kingsdown Mattress. This is the most amazing mattress. Eldon has slept in the nicest hotels in the world and he is always happy to return home to our fantastic mattress. The principle is that softer is better because it molds to your body. I have slept on different beds and my back always hurts. It never hurts on this bed. The other benefit is that it costs the same as a regular pillow top mattress and isn't as expensive as the sleep number bed. I highly, highly recommend it.

#3 The Eddie Bauer high chair. It looks nice, it's very stable, and it cleans up well. We took the padding off because it's just a little pillow that gets disgusting quickly. But after three kids, it still looks just like it did when we brought it home (when it's clean). The only negative is that it doesn't fold up so it has to store just as is. But because it doesn't fold up, it's very sturdy.

I saved the best for last. I LOVE this car. It does everything. It has made driving a minivan respectable and even "sexy." It has a fantastic sound system, drives great and I can take 8 people comfortably. I love how the seats go down in the back, how the radio can still play in the front while the kids watch movies in the back, and it is just simply awesome.

I am sure there are other things that I have forgotten to add to this list, but here is a start.

Finally a Product made for me!

Someone understands that I don't have time to get on my hands and knees and scrub my floor. Someone understands that I need to clean my floor daily since I have a baby that crawls around on the floor. Someone understands that the Swiffer leaves a weird residue all over the floor when you use the wet mop. Someone understands that sweeping and the Dry Swiffer are just not enough in a house with little kids. This product has changed the state of my floor and house. I just sweep like I always do and then run this over the floor like a vacuum at the end of the day. It takes five minutes and the floor has been steamed clean. I toss the mop cover in the washer before bed and no drying necessary. It is a beautiful thing. I still think that you need to do the hands and knees job once in awhile, but this is a great way to handle the inbetween times.
This will even clean your bathroom floors which I HATE cleaning. Yeah!!

Thank you Costco for always carrying the coolest things. It was the best $94 I have ever spent.

She is so precious I can't stand it.

The three wacky ones!

Handsome Jackson

3 Happy Boys

Franklin Park, Beautiful Claire age 1

Baby Claire

Claire has been so much fun to take pictures of. Here is an assortment in a few fun dresses and one of all the kids in their Easter outfits.

Happy Easter!

I love my new lens on my camera. So much fun.

10 Things I would like to learn

My sister in law, Becca posted on her blog 10 things she would like to learn and asked others to post too. So here I go.

- Photography - I have a lot of gear and occasionally get a good picture, but I would love to take great pictures all the time.
-Photoshop - I just need to take a good class.
-How to organize. Anyone has "stopped in" to my house knows that this is what I need. I always have great ideas, but no time to implement.
-How to manage stress in a fun way - I have made huge strides at this, but it usually involves me allowing time to pass without worry. I would rather take the stress and do something fun with it instead.
-Musical instrument - I know that all my kids and husband are going to be able to play the piano or even more and I am going to be the one who can't do anything but sing along.
-How to Save money - I wish I could transition my mind to the big picture and move away from the here and now more easily
-Business Ideas - I have a few business ideas that I think would be fabulous. I would love to learn how to take that first step
-Compassion - I wish I could learn how to make the time to show all the compassion I know that I have for people. I have always wanted to be "that" person that everyone could rely on. I don't think you can't rely on me, but I am so busy I am sure people think twice before asking if I can help.
-Hands on IT - I sell IT for a living. I have learned tons about it, but I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to implement anything. I really enjoy learning the concepts and think it is amazing but that is as far as it goes. I would love to actually build a server and deploy applications for my home. I know that is geek to the core, but it is really cool stuff.
-Some handy skills around the house. It would help so much if one of us could fix something. I would love to remodel my bathroom. It is the most disgusting room ever. It just needs to be ripped out. I would love to learn how to do that.

Stonebridge 235 Girls Reunion!!

Ok ladies it's looking like May??? We have three pregnant ladies due in June, July and August. That is three that I know of. So maybe early May? I think it would be so much fun to take a weekend and go to New York or something fun. Obviously not too much walking for the ladies with child. Or hey maybe just a cabin in Tennessee? I'm good with whatever. Let me know what you think and I will totally arrange it. I will also start communicating by email once we get going.

If there is a better time or place please comment!! Also, if there are others we need to invite, and you are in touch with them, please pass it along.

To the Sweet Girls of Stonebridge #235

About three years ago, Eldon took me on a Romantic Birthday get away to Cleveland. I know you are probably saying, "what on earth could be romantic about Cleveland?" Well we stayed at the Ritz Carlton, ate at Hyde Park, and saw my favorite Broadway musical to date, "The Light in the Piazza." When we returned to our hotel room, he had purchased the "romantic package" which included a rose petal turn down service, bubble bath etc. In the background, they had playing my favorite, not his, Pachabel's Canon. The CD is called Pachabel Canon's greatest hits. Now to most musicians, they hate this song. Hate may be a little strong, but usually they don't like the over played and popular classical pieces.

I have spent some time trying to cope with this as I have become so much more exposed to classiscal music since I married Eldon. And here is what I have come up with.

I don't know what it is, but this piece calms my soul. I am not sure if it is the rhythmic four beats that does it, or just the quiet predictability, but I love it. I love my greatest hits album because it is the song over and over again. I think it also has to do with the fact that it was my first real introduction to classical music. It was the first time I connected to a score of music.

So how does this relate to the girls of #235? Well, I remember fondly how our little apartment was always filled with tons of people. Not only did we have 6 people always living there, but we usually had the boyfriends or family of those 6 people. Many times when I had a stressful day, I would go fill up the tub of the back bathroom with bubbles and I would bring in Pachabel's Canon. It would drown out the noise of the commotion outside. As I think back, I can't believe I put a limb into that tub. All I have to say is "EEEW." I guess Pachabel helped me see past the grime and still find a way to relax. It is probably the only way I was able to live there for so many years and survive so many changing room mates.

I know that there are a few of my favorites who follow my blog and to you I say, I love you guys and I am sure I am the only one who had this experience in the tubs of #235!! Somehow we survived the industrial carpet, nasty green couches, and old beds. But more importantly, we made it home and were all able to leave there healthy and happy.