2009 April

Gosh, it’s fun to fly.

April 30, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 2 Comments

I’m home from Stouffer’s! I haveÂ a pile of mail and packages to go through and I have to take Nathan to “Meet the Teacher” night at the school he’ll be going to in the Fall, plus I’m so tired that I fell asleep on both flights home today.

Speaking of my flights…I headed to the airport from the hotel this morning with Carmen, Lisa, Deb, and MJ.Â Carmen was on a different airline, but Lisa, Deb, MJ and I were all flying from Cleveland to Detroit before splitting off for separate connecting flights home.Â

We missed our flight. We got to the gate and the door was closed, the agent had left, and we could see the plane out on the tarmac headed to the runway. An airport employee pointed us back towards ticketing where we had to go to rebook our flights.

So there the four of us were in ticketing, MJ on the phone to Northwest, Lisa on the phone to Simon with Publicis PR, and miraculously, there were four unsold seats on the next plane going to Detroit which was in less than an hour. We printed our boarding passes, went through security again, and then went to the gate. Yes, we made the flight

So, we get off the plane in Detroit, and I’ve got about 25 minutes until my connecting flight is boarding. They made us gate-check our rolling suitcases, so we had to wait for those. And wait, and wait, and wait. By the time I got my bag, I had 15 minutes to get from the end of C terminal to the other end of B terminal.

At least I didn’t have to go to A terminal like Deb, which involves escalators and the supremely annoying tunnel with the flashing lights and loud music.

So I make my connecting flight, we board the plane, push back from the gate, and then stop. The pilot comes on and says there’s a “mechanical problem”, and we have to go back to the gate for it to be fixed. And it could be anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes until we take off. Yippee.

I promptly fell sound asleep, barely registered take-off, and woke up with a start when we landed and the pilot slammed on the brakes (or whatever they do to stop the plane) making everyone lurch forward in their seats. I was just glad that my Dad and Stepmom were at my house and that Ryan could stay with Kaitlyn so they could come get me.

I want to tell you a lot more about the event itself, but right now I have to take Nathan to this scavenger hunt/get to know your new school thingy, so Nathan can learn how to open a locker and whatever.

Also? I am SO looking forward to sitting on the couch with Chris tonight watching DVR’d “Lost” and “Rescue Me”.Â If I don’t fall asleep, that is.

Filed Under: Personal, Stouffer's Let's Fix Dinner event · Tagged: blogger event, flying, Personal, Travel

Hello from the Nestle Culinary Center!

April 29, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 7 Comments

cross-posted from MomCooks:

stouffers_logo Yesterday, Nestle flew me to Solon, Ohio to attend a day-long conference and roundtable discussion on the topic of Let’s Fix Dinner. This morning we started out in the Nestle Baking Kitchen meeting with Jenny from VeryBestBaking.com and eating fresh-baked cookies (YUM). Then we moved into their Culinary Center which is like a huge kitchen with grills and a wood-fire pizza oven station and people chopping and grilling and mixing.

There is Pecan-Crusted BACON, people. I am in heaven.

We’ve only been here an hour and I’ve already been reminded of just how loyal I am to the Nestle brand. I’ve mentioned before that the only acceptable chocolate chip cookie as far as my husband is concerned is ones made with Nestle Toll House Mini Morsels.

Other products made by Nestle include Carnation Condensed Milks, Libby pumpkin, Pria bars, Powerbars, and of course, CANDY. There’s a little tray sitting in front of me with mini butterfingers and nestle crunch bars.

BACON COATED IN BROWN SUGAR, ROLLED IN CRUSHED PECANS, AND BAKED. NOM NOM NOM NOM.

We’re having presentations from a psychologist, an expert on raising teens, Antonia from last season’s Top Chef, and our moderator is a famous Cleveland newscaster. Pretty cool.

I’ll be twittering regularly today with the hashtag #letsfixdinner if you want to keep an eye on those.

I NEED MOAR BACON.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/table4five/

Filed Under: Stouffer's Let's Fix Dinner event · Tagged: cooking, Family, Food & Recipes, home, Lets Fix Dinner, Nestle, Stouffers

Guest Post: Bedroom Makeover for Boys

April 28, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 6 Comments

I’m traveling to Ohio today, so for your reading enjoyment, I have a guest post from Khara at CSN Stores about how to decorate and organize a boy’s bedroom, especially if you have two boys sharing a room like I do. I’ll check in from the Cleveland Marriott later tonight!

Bedroom Makeover Tips for Boys

In every home, there comes a time where the animal decals or transportation themed decor just isn’t cutting it for your preteen boys and you want to incorporate a creative bedroom theme that is more appropriate for their age. For young boys that share a small bedroom, space can always be a factor which is why organizing existing or new furniture in a certain way will optimize the area your children have to play and hang out.

One way to get started is through the major pieces of furniture that you choose to add such as a bunk bed set, captain’s bed or two twin size beds supported by bed frames. Just as in baby furniture, the furniture’s comfort, safety, and style of are all important factors to consider in achieving the updated young boys’ bedroom look you’re going for.

Once you’ve determined the updated bedroom set, find a corner of the room where most of the furniture can be positioned whether in bunk bed format or in an L-shape with two smaller beds that line two walls of the room. Multi-level beds provide a larger area for adding in a desk or study area for when your children need to do homework or read for class. In terms of decor, it’s always beneficial to choose a theme that your sons agree upon such as their favorite sport or outdoor hobby. Smaller bedrooms also benefit from shelf installations that can be added above a student desk for textbook storage, school supplies, and interesting decor that adds warmth to the room.

In any young boy’s bedroom, it’s important to take into consideration the extracurricular activities they enjoy participating in on a regular basis in order to keep them engaged and excited about both school and fun events. Perhaps they are into basketball, karate, or baseball and want to live in an environment that encourages that activity. One way to keep that space creative is by applying a decorative wall decal of their favorite baseball park or arena as well as sports themed bed linens and accessories. In order to keep a balance between work and play, try isolating one section of the room for study sessions. This can be an area that’s easy for you to bring in an extra chair and help them along with any homework questions that come up along the way.

Filed Under: For the Home · Tagged: Bed, Bedroom, Bunk bed, children, Desk, Furniture, Home and Garden, Shopping

I’m not paranoid, I’m cautious. Or something.

April 28, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 8 Comments

When I was in kindergarten, our house was robbed while we slept. The sliding glass door leading to the backyard had been left unlocked, and not only did the thief steal our TV, he went into my parents’ bedroom and stole my Dad’s wallet off the dresser and some of my Mom’s jewelry. While my parents were laying there sleeping.

I get a chill down my spine just typing those words. The thought of someone being in my house is bad enough, but being in my bedroom? Excuse me while I wig out for a minute.

I was okay when Chris and I lived in apartments, but when we moved to our first house, I became the door-locking fanatic I am today. We have deadbolts on our doors, and I keep them locked even during the day. And you better bet that I am a freak about the sliding glass door to our backyard being locked.

When we moved in to this house with that big sliding glass door that to me practically screams “Hey! here’s a way in!”, I wanted to pay for a home security system. I checked out ADT home security‘s website, I paid attention to the little signs in the front yards of other houses in the neighborhood.Â But we were on such a tight budget with Kaitlyn on her way that we substituted the deadbolts and my sliding door OCD instead.

Oh, and then we got Elvis, who barks if a freaking leaf blows down the sidewalk three houses away. As much as I complain about his barking, ain’t no one gettin’ in this house while we sleep, that’s for darn sure.

So tell me this in a comment- do you have a home security system? With everyone on a tight budget these days, is it a necessary expense to protect not only your belongings but your peace of mind? Am I the only one who sometimes walks around the house at 3 AM making sure all the doors are locked?

Filed Under: For the Home · Tagged: budget, home security

Hey Moms! Check Out These Great Dish Network Deals!

April 26, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 5 Comments

One money-saving tip I’ve been reading lately is to cut back on expensive premium cable packages and go to a more basic channel lineup. Another option is to switch from cable to a satellite system like the one you get from dish network. We had a dish when we first moved into this house and we were happy with the service, but what we didn’t realize is that our clear signal would soon be blocked when the leaves came in on the trees across the street. So let me just suggest that if you do decide to put up a satellite dish, make sure you have an unobstructed view of the Western sky.

How affordable is Dish Network? You can find great dish network deals online, including 100 channels of all-digital programming for just $9.99, which includes free installation in up to four rooms, free HD programming for 6 months, free HBO Starz movie channel for 3 months, and an HD-DVR with 500 hours of recording time.

Now, I am never going to suggest to anyone that they save money by cancelling their TV service altogether. I admit it, everyone in my family watches TV. A lot of TV. For us, the money we pay for our service is worth it since we don’t spend a lot on other types of entertainment. Check out special dish network offers if you think switching to the dish is the right thing to do for your family!

Filed Under: Sponsored Posts · Tagged: Dish Network, dish network deals, HBO, hd dvr, Satellite television

The Day The Earth Stood Still (Remake) on DVD

April 26, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 2 Comments

I reviewed the original 1951 movie The Day The Earth Stood Still back in December, and in that post I wrote that I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the remake because the original is just so darn good, and because reviews of the theatrical release were so negative.

So, when Click asked for reviewers for the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still on DVD, I said yes. And you know what? I have to respectfully disagree with everyone who posted a “oh god this is the worst movie ever” review on Amazon. Okay, it’s not the best movie ever, and the changes made from the original are pretty drastic, but I enjoyed watching it.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, The Day The Earth Stood Still is about an alien sent to Earth with the mission of telling everyone on Earth that they need to stop destroying the planet or else the rest of the Universe is going to have to take action. In order to prove how serious they are, the alien makes, well, the earth stand still by shutting down every single bit of electricity.

But even before that happens, the U.S. government gets freaked out about an alien and his “bodyguard”, a giant metal robot who is standing in front of their spaceship not moving. They try to take the alien prisoner and destroy the robot, because it’s all so threatening to our “peaceful” existence.Â In the remake, this point is hammered home even more strongly by having the Secretary of Defense argue that no good can come from letting the alien discuss anything with anyone.

This movie has a terrific cast- Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connolly, Jaden Smith, Kyle Chandler, Jon Hamm, John Cleese. It gets overly dramatic at the end (Jennifer Connolly pleading with Keanu Reeves not to destroy Earth, sobbing “we can change, we can change”),Â but like I said, I found it enjoyable to watch. You can get a two-disc set, a three-disc set that includes the original movie and a digital copy, plus it’s available on Blu-Ray. Rent or buy it and decide for yourself!

Filed Under: DeeVeeDees · Tagged: Day The Earth Stood Still, dvd, Jaden Smith, Jennifer Connolly, John Cleese, Keanu Reeves, movies

In Case You Weren’t Sure, THIS Is A Mommyblog

April 25, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 24 Comments

What does it mean to be a Mommyblogger? When I started blogging in 2005, I was writing about being pregnant with my third child, and my two boys, and my life in general.Â I found a small group of other Mom blogs that I really liked, I commented on their posts, they commented on my posts. They were my COMMUNITY.

And then on February 25, 2006, I decided to write about how much I loved Swiffer Sweepers in this post titled I Love Swiffer, Yes I Do. Why? Because cleaning my house was part of my life, and it seemed like a good topic for a post.Â Never in my wildest dreams did I think that anyone representing Swiffer would read my post. Except, that’s exactly what happened.

A P.R. person representing Swiffer read my post and emailed me, saying that he liked my post, and he was getting the word out about a new redesigned Swiffer sweeper, and would I like to get one? And if I felt like it, would I write my opinion of it on my blog?Â I was dumbstruck!Â But I said sure, why not, and I got the swiffer, used it, took some pictures of it, and wrote a post about it.

That was the beginning of my “career” as a product reviewer.Â Since then, I’ve developed relationships, yes actual relationships, with P.R. firms all across America.Â These are real people whose jobs are to market products, who decided they liked the way I wrote and the way I expressed my opinions. We’ve talked on the phone, arranged to meet in person, sent each other Christmas cards. They know the names of my kids, I know the names of theirs.

So, let me ask you a question. And by “you”, I mean, those of you who come here and read this blog because you like the way I write. Those of you who are part of the TABLE FOR FIVE COMMUNITY.Â Do you have a problem with me calling myself a Mommyblogger?Â Is the fact that I review DVDs and other products and run occasional giveaways a problem for you? Do you ever feel like I am “tricking” you into reading a post?

This blog is going to change, evolve, and grow. As opportunities arise, I am going to take them if they seem like a good fit for this blog. When I get a product to review, I am never going to pretend that I bought the product myself. If I ever forget to tell you who exactly sent me the product, please ask me in the comments. If I write about going to a marketing event, and you want to know exactly what items I received from the company, ask me.

I have nothing to hide.

And also? I AM STILL A MOM. I do not think that I have to turn in my Mommyblogger card because I choose, on MY BLOG, that I PAY FOR, to write about products and run giveaways.Â I am not SHILLING PRODUCTS. I am writing about MY LIFE.Â And right now? My life is about helping companies market their products that appeal to Moms and kids.

But it’s also about potty training my daughter and watching my 12 year old son grow into a young man, and feeling my heart swell with pride when my 10 year old brings home a test with an A+ on it after all the struggles he’s had in school, and dealing with the stress my husband is under at work, and everything else that happens to me on a daily basis.

This is MY MOMMYBLOG. This is what it means, TO ME, toÂ be a Mom who blogs. And those of you who are regular readers, REAL readers, THANK YOU. Thank you SO MUCH for taking a few minutes out of your day to come here. If I had no advertisers and no products and no giveaways and no trips, I would still be here and I hope you would still come here too.

Filed Under: Being a Mom, Born to Blog · Tagged: Born to Blog, community, giveaways, marketing, mommyblog, product reviews

Centennial Collection-The Odd Couple and To Catch A Thief

April 24, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 1 Comment

Paramount Home Entertainment has released two more classic movies on DVD as part of it’s Centennial Collection- The Odd Couple starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and To Catch A Thief starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.

“The Odd Couple” began as a play written by Neil Simon that was performed on Broadway starting in 1965, starring Walter Matthau as Oscar and Art Carney as Felix. Later in the show’s run, Jack Klugman took over the role of Oscar. In 1968, the play was made into a movie starring Walter Matthau as Oscar, and Jack Lemmon as Felix.

Felix is compulsively clean and fastidious, while Oscar takes the word “slob” to a whole new level. Despite these differences, they are friends, and when Felix’s wife kicks him out, he moves in with the already-divorced Oscar. Oscar trys to involve Felix in his social life, inviting him to his poker party (Felix makes drinks and sandwiches for everyone instead) and enlisting his help in wooing their upstairs neighbors, the Pigeon Sisters (Felix trades divorce stories with them instead).Â Ultimately, Felix learns to loosen up and Oscar learns to think about his responsibilities. The first DVD has a commentary from Charlie Matthau and Chris Lemmon, and the second Disc has five featurettees plus production galleries and the original theatrical trailer.

To Catch A ThiefÂ is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s lighter movies. Cary Grant is John Robie, a former cat burglar living in the French Riviera who finds that someone is committing robberies using his old style, which brings suspicion on him. He needs to find the thief and keep him from robbing anyone else. When wealthy Jessie and Francie Stevens (Grace Kelly) come to the Riviera for vacation, dripping with diamonds, Robie tries to warn them of the potential thief but when Jessie’s jewels are stolen anyway, he and Francie play a cat-and-mouse game of their own.

I had never seen this movie before, but reviews on Amazon indicate that this DVD has restored the original, removing scratches and brightening the picture considerably. I can say that scenes like a car chase down a mountain and a meeting in a flower market are certainly vibrant. And Grace Kelly is stunning in her first scene, wearing a powder-blue filmy ball gown. You can see why she became a Princess!Â The first disc has a commentary by a Hitchcock Film Historian, and there’s a second disc packed with ‘making of” featurettes and other information.

Both movies are available from Amazon.com, The Odd Couple isÂ $18.99Â and To Catch a Thief is $18.49. Add them to your classic movie collection today!

Filed Under: DeeVeeDees · Tagged: dvd reviews

Just an ordinary afternoon shopping with my littlest best friend

April 23, 2009 · by Elizabeth · 7 Comments

Kaitlyn and I spent more than two hours at Meijer yesterday. Meijer is our grocery superstore, you can buy pretty much anything you could ever need there.Â We like to take our time, I browsed through the skin care aisle for a good twenty minutes, picking up various tubes and bottles of potions, wondering why it costs so much for one ounce of something. I also tried on shoes for a really long time, my favorite Champion slip-ons are worn out so I picked up a pair of Dr. Scholl’s that have gel in the insole and are crazy comfortable.

We picked up another 3-pack of potty training undies (like regular ones but super thick. Not that the thick padding helps when she pees right through them onto the floor, but that’s another post),Â andÂ ran into our across-the-street neighbor and her two year old daughter who loves Kaitlyn (I swear the two of them arranged a playdate right in front of my neighbor and me).

There’s always a stop to look at the wall of fish tanks. We picked up frozen pizzas and stuff to make meatloaf and I gave in and let her get Trix Yogurt even though the dye used to make it day-glo pink and blue can’t be all that good for her. “Don’t you want YoBaby?”, I asked. “Nope”, she said. “I like TWIX Yo-durt”. Well alrighty, then. Not to be confused with TWIX the yummy sticks of chocolate and caramel-covered cookie, of course.

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As we were headed to the checkout lanes (hurray for self-scanners with no item limit, I can pack my grocery bag in my own OCD way), we passed the women’s clothing section and the several racks of purses.

K- “Mommy, you want to buy a new purse, right?”

me- “Oh sweetie, I always want to buy a new purse.”

K-”well, you could buy ME a new purse instead!”

I am so screwed when she realizes all clothing doesn’t come from Goodwill.

********************

So then I got in line at the self-scanner, and Kaitlyn looks at me and says “where’s Daddy?”

me – “Daddy’s at work, sweetie.”

K – “So it’s just you and me!”

me – “That’s right, me shopping with you, my best friend.”

K – “Best friends FOREVER!”

If I am the luckiest person on the planet, we’ll stay BFFs. If not, she’ll eventually become moody and mopey and I’ll have nothing but this blog to remind me of how COMPLETELY ADORABLE she was at age three.