A very YUMMY giveaway!

My newest bloggy friend Cynthiaa over at Confessions of a Yummy Mummy (the Mod Mama to Be) is not only having a baby in less than 5 weeks, but she is also hosting her first giveaway.

I've seen lots of giveaways around the blogosphere, and let me tell you - THIS. ONE. ROCKS.

So many wonderful goodies!

Click here to take a look for yourself!

Of course I'd love to win, but if I don't, I'd be thrilled if one of my readers does!

Good luck, and thanks again to Cynthiaa!

Overheard . . .

MH: Daddy, can I watch Jack-Show (Jack's Big Music Show)?
DH: (while we watch inauguration snippets on the news) Sweetie, we're watching the making of history right now . . .
MH: I don't like history! I want Jack-Show!

Earlier today, we were discussing how exciting today was, as our new President was being sworn in. We talked about what special day it was and how lucky we are to be Americans, and she even asked me a few questions.

One of the things I told her is that our new President, Barack Obama is now living in the White House in Washington DC.

She paused for a moment before asking "Which white house is it?"

A conversation of what the White House is ensued. She asked if it's the house Audrey used to live in (I have no idea who Audrey is, other than the little girl who lives across the street from us - her house is not white).

She then said "Is that president 'Bama a girl?"

She then proceeded to ask why the house was white and not another color.

Discussing politics with an almost 4-year old is quite entertaining, no?

Ask and you shall receive

I just remembered that after last week's "Making Me Happy" Monday post, I got some questions regarding my laptop cooling pad and iPod Touch. Without further ado, I present:

XBrand Lap Lounge

Since having 2 back surgeries, I've spent a considerable amount of time in bed - on the laptop. The bottom always gets hot and DH started getting me all worried that this would cause the motherboard to burn out. What a motherboard is, I can't say. The idea of being without my laptop? Gives me hives.

You sit your laptop in this fab-o little gadget. Totally comfy on your lap. And, it's got a little USB thingy (how's that for technical terminology) that you plug into a USB port on your laptop. A nice little fan blows, keeping the bottom of the computer (and your lap) nice and cool. And no more worries about blowing the motherlode motherboard.

All for the bargain basement price of $39.99 at BJ's. DH says this is much cheaper than a motherboard.

AND, the iPod Touch. Apple calls it "the funnest iPod ever." I cannot disagree. It's absolutely ingenious - like having a mini-computer with you at all times (you just need to have wi-fi available to connect to the internet/get email/etc.)

I refuse to switch out of my happy little Verizon phone network, so I'm not interested in the iPhone. This, my friends, is the next best thing.

I have the 2nd generation version. It plays music even without headphones! But forget the music - the applications, oh. the. applications.

I can check email. Write email. Facebook. Twitter. Play ridiculously addictive games. Some genius has even come up with games to entertain the wee-set (read: earn yourself a little extra time while waiting for dinner to arrive by letting your child "scribble" in color and shake the designs away like an Etch-A-Sketch or use their little fingers to create and pop bubbles!). Download webcasts, podcasts, and videos. Put my pictures on it.

I kid you not - you can think of it, you can probably do it on the iPod Touch.

The price on this one? I have the 8GB, which runs around $229 on the Apple site. Although, I'm pretty sure you can get it for a little less plus free shipping if you do a little digging online.

I will say this - my mom took one look at it and instantly requested it as a birthday gift (lucky for her, she's a New Year's baby, so she didn't have to wait long). We're total dorks with our gadgets, figuring out on a daily basis all the amazing things it can do, and discussing the latest and necessary free applications we've discovered. But it is SO. MUCH. FUN. As Apple says, "the funnest".

Seriously, I'm not usually someone who is blown away by gadgets, but the whole fam is getting into the action with this one!

Have more questions? Ask away!

"Making Me Happy" Monday

I did this last week, and think I'm going to try to make it a weekly ritual. Feel free to join me and let me know if you have so I can be sure to pop by your blog!

Things making me happy today:

*Whatever alien replaced the MH yesterday seemed to disappear overnight. We had a fabulous day together - one of those days that reminds me I was made to be a mommy.

*Disappearance of said "alien" meant the sweetest little girl ever today, and not ONE temper tantrum (and one VERY happy mommy).

*The MH telling me at rest time that her heart had a smile on it because she was so happy (and then proceeding to take a 2 hour nap - unheard of these days!).

*After bad weather rained snowed on our parade, DH and I enjoyed a fantastic and much needed evening out on Saturday night to celebrate his birthday. Made even more perfect by the fact that we ate at our of our favorite restaurants, with a hefty gift certificate handed to DH by his boss, joined by our closest friends, and entertained by the interesting (read: whacko) couple next to us who insisted on buying us a round of drinks after we'd paid our bill and were ready to leave. They wouldn't take no for an answer, so all of us, including our server, downed shots of Patron Silver. GREAT. TIMES. And lots of laughter.

*My first Saturday of the season as a tax widow wasn't as awful as I thought it would be. MH and I found our way to story hour at a very cool toy store we hadn't yet been to, made an awesome craft, and had a very klassy lunch at Chez McDonald's. (note to self: no more Saturday visits to McDonald's PlayPlace. Ever.)

*DH let me sleep in until after 12 yesterday afternoon, and was completely reasonable when I was completely (and admittedly) unreasonable and bitchy for no reason I could explain other than I didn't feel like being anyone's mommy or wife, just for a little while. Honey, you are a WONDERFUL man.

*I finally found a case for my iPod Touch so I am no longer afraid to take it out of my house. I must agree with Apple, who calls it "the funnest iPod ever." Gotta love free Wi-Fi at Panera and the library. Although (shock and awe), Chez McD's does NOT have free Wi-Fi. One more reason to boycott.

*MH and I had so much fun at home today doing lots of nothing. Crafts, new toys, and our fave - an impromptu dance party around our kitchen.

*Rachael Ray's Mini-Meatball Soup for dinner last night. It rocks. It rocks even more for lunch the next day. Today's lunch ROCKED.

*DH's new stove-top espresso maker (birthday gift from above-mentioned friends). There's a new barista in town . . . can you guess her name? Can anyone say Fat Free Decaf Caramel Latte last night AND tonight? I think I might just be as good as Starbucks. And definitely cheaper. There's also the added draw that I don't need to leave my kitchen.

*Obama's inauguration tomorrow - we are part of history in the making!

*The MH's birthday invitations are addressed, stamped, and ready to go. Now we just need to pray that the party doesn't get snowed out!

*I have decided that I want to go back to school! Undergrad transcripts have been requested. Advice is being gathered. Calls are being made. I am really hoping that in a few years I will be a certified elementary school teacher!

*I have a list of many goals for 2009, and so far, I'm doing a pretty good job of keeping up with them. I've decided that yes, calling them goals is working far better for me than calling them resolutions.

There are many more things I'm sure I could go on about, but these are what come to mind for now . . . come on and tell me what's on your happy list today!



Edited to add: LOVING Twitter these days! Especially loving the discovery of TweetDeck and its wonder-powers!

The no-snow snow-day

I may be a New Englander but it does not mean that I like winter. In fact, I'd much prefer to be a snowbird.


We've already gotten enough snow if you ask me. We've already gotten enough threats of snow that haven't amounted to much more than supermarket and gas station chaos.

And yesterday/today was the absolute best - every public school in the state was cancelled last night before even a single snowflake had a chance to fall.

I might have seen a flurry or two this afternoon. As for the school cancellation? Still wondering what state officials were thinking with that one.


And the effect on this mom of one who has another year and a half before entering public school?

Our preschool follows the same vacation and school cancellation schedule as the public schools in our city.

Our preschool days come twice a week - Tuesday and Thursday, and today happens to be Thursday.

Needless to say, when I learned of the cancellation last night, I had more than a few choice words to utter.

Don't get me wrong. I adore the MH. I could love being a Mom any more.

But routine is routine. And preschool days are preschool days!

Since MH started preschool at the end of August, it has been pretty easy to adjust to jam-packing those two full days with doctor's appointments, physical therapy appointments, meetings for volunteer work, errands, and - I will not lie - some much needed, and well-earned me time.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are great for both of us - the MH is thriving at school, eager to know each morning when she gets up if it's a school day. And I, most definitely, am a better Mom for having a little time off.

However, sometimes life surprises us!

MH slept until 8:30 this morning (unheard of). When she woke up, she crawled into bed with me for one of the best kind of snuggles ever - the kind filled with a game of "I love you more than . . ." (my favorite one was I love you more than the whole bathtub filled with lots of really big duckies).

We lounged around for a bit. We got dressed and went to Sweetheart's house. We went out for lunch with Sweetheart and a friend.

When we got back, MH helped Sweetheart bake brownies. She set up a huge picnic on the kitchen floor, and made a gate out of Duplo blocks to keep the poor dog out.

We laughed, chatted, ate warm brownies, and drank tea (well, Sweetheart and I drank tea). MH insisted that we pack up some brownies to bring home to her daddy.

Sweetheart and I played with our matching new iPod Touches (Sweetheart loved mine so much that she got one for her birthday!). MH even got in on the act when I downloaded some games for her (thank you, thank you, thank you to whoever came up with the Bubble and Scribble applications - I see these being put to phenomenal use in the future).

It was a wonderful way to spend the day - 3 generations of girls just having a great time doing not much of anything.

My most current choice word regarding the cancellation of public schools today? Perfect.

"Making Me Happy" Monday

On today's happy list:

*It's DH's birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best husband and daddy anyone could ask for! We are celebrating with an overnight to Boston next month, complete with tix to see Dirty Dancing (the play I wasn't even aware had become a play and am out of my mind about seeing!), compliments of my brother - can't wait!

*We have the cutest, most amazing little girl - as soon as she got up, the MH gave her daddy a huge birthday hug and kiss, and ran to get him a few special birthday presents. These included a Mickey and Minnie book (complete with her own special reading), a pink Care Bears elephant to sleep with whenever he wants, and as he was walking out the door to work, she ran after him to say "I just wanted to remind you that Mommy and I would like to take you to lunch for your birthday!". I could eat her up!

*Even though it's hubby's birthday, he brought ME coffee in bed (well, he does that every morning if I'm awake, so it's always on my happy list), and (way before going into her room to get a birthday kiss and hug when we knew she was starting to wake up) made the MH her sippy cup of chocolate milk (without animal crackers) so I wouldn't have to get out of bed to do it. Did I mention he's the best hubby and daddy ever?

*MH and I are taking a ride down to Daddy's work today to take him out for a birthday lunch.

*I finally got a cooling pad for my laptop so I can now rest assured that my motherboard will not burn out as hubby has convinced me it could (also happy the bottom of my computer isn't feeling so hot on my lap anymore!).

*Snowpants! Remember how I couldn't find them anywhere because I was an unprepared Mommy? I found and entire set (one of 4 left and the only size 4T) - complete with parka, snowpants, and mittens for $16 at BJ's yesterday! And it's adorable! And pink! And great quality! And it fits the MH perfectly! And the $16 price tag? Not even a clearance price!

*That huge snowstorm we were supposed to get? Didn't amount to much at all! Had a great time having friends over Saturday night during said "storm" playing Rock Band and American Idol on the Wii for hours. A pee-your-pants great time.

*Loving Twitter. And my new favorite way to use it - TweetDeck. Thanks Spoiled Mommy!

*Fabulous new cozy sweaters bought from Macy's for a steal.

*Exact style of brown wedge boots I've been searching for for the past 3 months - also purchased at a decent price during above shopping trip.

*The iPod Touch DH got me for Hanukkah - it's like having a mini computer with me at all times! I am having a blast downloading apps and walking around the house with my new little gadget.

*A free minute for blog posting! It feels like I've been consumed with so much lately that I have not had time to post at all. The MH walked daddy to the door and has not come back to snuggle with me in bed - I can hear her happily playing away downstairs, which is a rare occurrence (the playing alone part!). I have made it my goal for 2009 I (I figure calling it a goal is better than a resolution because a goal is something you work towards, whereas a resolution implies definite change. Hmm, maybe I should change that to resolution!) to blog at least a few times a week. It's part of my me time. It's part of my sanity. It's part of documenting my family's history.

*My little MH just finished her playing and crawled right into my bed to snuggle up on this cold and gray morning!

I don't think I've had a chance to say it yet, but Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to an amazing 2009!

Please help spread the word - it could affect YOU too!

I was just catching up on a little blog reading, and came across this from my friend Liza of A Diva and Two Princesses.

PLEASE, read this post, share it on your own blogs, and any other way you know how.

I know that many of my readers could be affected by this.

As someone who is in the middle of starting a business that will be completely affected by this, I know how concerned I am!

I also know that as someone who loves to purchase handmade gifts and other items, I will be affected in other ways.

As Liza says "We need to do something!", and I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly.

I know I will start researching today to figure out where I might be able to help . . . and I hope you will too!