Winners Drawn *Wii Accessories and FLOR*

Congrats to DoubleBugs Newest Winners!

Winners have been emailed!

Here is the winner of the Wii gaming accessories

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

253

Timestamp: 2009-11-09 03:23:04 UTC

Comment Number 253:

blogged the givewaway no.2

http://ardy22.blogspot.com/2009/10/wii-accessories-by-performance-designed.html

Winner of the FLOR Giveaway

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

535

Timestamp: 2009-11-09 03:46:00 UTC

I like Rake Me Over in Olive or Fret Knot is pretty too in Olive! Thank you for the great contest!

Bed Side Manner

I can honestly say that I don’t particularly like heading to the doctor, and most people don’t.  Since having the boys, I am a little more picky about who we choose as their doctors.  I guess that maternal instinct kicks in, when there is someone messing with your babies other than you, so you are dissecting every little move the doctor makes, with regards to your child.

I would not say that, I am overly critical of doctors in general, but you do notice when they actually have a love of their job and an interest in caring for your child.  It is tough enough to bring them in for shots, or when there is something major going on, that it helps to have someone who is pleasant, who seems genuinely interested in your questions, and has five minutes to spare for your child.

Last week one of the boys fell down the stairs and broke his wrist.  It is a common fracture where the bone sort of bent in a way.  Since, at 3 yrs old a child’s bones aren’t completely calcified, there wasn’t a complete break.  I was totally freaked out when he fell, and he didn’t really complain much, so I figured he was ok.  The following day when he went to grab his cup he couldn’t hold on to it, so we took him in.

Fast forward to today, about 9 days later and a blue cast up to his armpit, we headed to our follow up with an orthopedist.  How much personality do you think a cold dead sardine has?  Probably way more than this doctor that we met today.  She walks in and goes do you want a half cast on that?  We were like yes, that might help with his mobility so we were happy with that.  He would get recasted with a new half cast in lime green  🙂  I then begin to ask about a cast protector for showers or baths since these plastic bags were a real task to get on and taped, and we even had a minor snafu with the cast getting wet. Not only that, we are spending a fortune in medical tape and plastic bags.  My son’s poor skin is breaking down from the tape so, I know they sell these protectors online but we were asking her if they sold them locally somewhere.  She said No and the places that sometimes carry them are probably out of stock (wouldn’t this mean they do sell them locally and could you please just tell us where?) and they can only be on for 10 min.  I’m like, well let me decide, but she goes 3 more weeks and it can come off and she walks out of the room.  Uhhhhhhh?

My husband and I were beyond irritated.  It was more like, hi and bye, let me collect your money.  She didn’t x-ray his arm to see if it is healing properly or anything.  I was wondering what the point was?  If you are a doctor that works with families and children, I’ve got a little advice.  Put a smile on your face, act a little more alive and considerate than a dead fish!   Thankfully after 3 weeks, we don’t have to go back!

Wordless Wednesday

Buzz and Woody!

*scroll down for more!*

Laptop Battery Woes

I didnt recently discover how important my laptop battery was to me until I became permanently attached to my cord.  I have only had my HP laptop for a little less than a year and the battery was pretty much toast.  This seems to be a relatively common occurence.

It was so bad that my computer would get unplugged and immediately shut off.  There was no running for the the next nearest outlet, because it would unplug and poof! vast nothingness. And, yes I take my laptop all over the house with me, so this no battery thing was cramping my bloggy style.

Well all praise and glory to the postal lady who fixed my laptop woes.  She didn’t even get to ring the doorbell because I had a tracking number, I won a new long life battery on ebay, and I knew it was coming to my doorstep today.  I think I scared the postal lady when I whipped the door open while she was in mid package drop on my doorstep.  I was in my jammie pants, my hair was a mess, and I didn’t care because  I was gonna be cord free!

I plugged in my new battery and wahlah, I was now safe to move about the house and country for that matter.  My new battery made it 5 wonderful hours before I had to charge it again.  Somebody pinch me, because I must be dreaming.  Thank you postal lady, and thank you ebay seller person, you made my day!

Wordless Wednesday

Reflections

What To Look For In A Family Vehicle

I currently own an SUV but eventually I know that we are going to outgrow it.  Finding a new family car can sometimes be difficult when you are considering all the options these days.  It is often easy to overlook the not so obvious things when trying to find a really good and safe family car.  It is always good to have some sort of starting point to kind of guide you in the best direction.

From personal experience even picking out a car seat is something that you have to research.  There are options galore in terms of safety, comfort, price, and how it will best fit your child.  The same holds true for the vehicle you use to tote your family around in.

There are many tips out there for purchasing a new car but I thought that these tips from the folks at Auto Trader would help you have a place to start!

Tips from experts at AutoTrader.com

Experts from AutoTrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace, offer the following overview on popular family-friendly models, including minivans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and sedans:

SUVs – Attractive, roomy, sturdy, powerful and responsive, these vehicles have been a very popular choice in recent years.

Pros:

1. Often sit up higher, an ideal feature for improved all-around visibility.
2. Often equipped with four-wheel or all-wheel drive to handle different terrains.
3. Typically feature family-friendly bonuses, such as rear-seat DVD players and enough cup holders for the entire family.

Cons:

1. Can be gas guzzlers.
2. More prone to rollovers, leading to safety concerns.
3. High thresholds may lead to trouble loading items into some SUVs.

Minivans – When they first appeared on the scene and before SUVs took the stage, minivans were the ultimate family vehicle choice – and are making a comeback.

Pros:

1. Less likely than SUVs to roll over in a crash. Built-in crumple zones help to absorb the impact and protect    passengers.
2. Roomy for passengers and allow a great deal of cargo space.
3. Often equipped with automatic sliding doors, which lessens the stress of loading the car while holding a child.
4. Low threshold makes it easier to remove car seats and load groceries.

Cons:

1. Generally have a lower resale value than an SUV.
2. Family Sedans – As gas prices rise, so do the attractiveness and sales of sedans – especially smaller, more gas-friendly ones.

Pros:

1. With a smaller size, family members can be within reach of the driver.
2. Include perks like affordability and nimble handling.
3. Can offer better gas mileage than most SUVs and minivans.

Cons:

1. Storage space can be more limited.

Other Factors Parents Should Consider when Looking for a Car:

·    Size and activity level of a family. Are family members involved in extracurricular activities or sports with equipment that requires more storage space, or will the car primarily be used as a means to get from Point A to Point B? Does the car need to be large enough to fit everyone and everything inside, or will a more economical sedan suffice? These are important factors to think of when looking at different vehicles.

·    Safety. Parents should take note of important features with which a family car should come equipped, such as electronic stability control, side airbags, anti-lock braking systems and tire pressure monitoring systems. When you’re looking at specific models, if you choose an SUV for your family car, look for responsive mid-size models with excellent crash test ratings, or consider a crossover, which combines the safety of minivans with the sleek features of a traditional SUV.

·    Personal preferences and convenience. Personal preferences such as cargo area size and ease of car seat installation vary for each parent and absolutely important to consider when looking at different cars. Parents may also want to consider factors that make things more convenient when it comes to children, such as dark upholstery (for spills and messes), keyless entry (when you’re juggling kids and other items) and a LATCH system, which makes installing car seats easier and safer.

There is a ton of stuff here to consider.  I know our next purchase we are considering a minivan.  Although I hate minivans, it is going to be the more practical solution to our growing family.  For now I am happy in my SUV and not ready to give it up.  Good luck car shopping!

Spam And My Long Lost Relatives

Did you know that I have relatives everywhere in the world.  The Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Taiwan, and a few others where I have very wealthy uncles and next of kin that left me millions?  It is so nice that my debt will be paid in full and I still have bazillions left so I can buy out Walmart and Bill Gates!

Are there really people dumb enough to click on this stuff?  Well lemme guess, probably because the spam wouldn’t exist otherwise.  You would really be surprised at how original these spammers can be.

Off to buy my husband that Ferrari he wants, and line my house with gold.  What?  You’re just jealous!  I know.

Wilton and A Crafting Day

I know with the colder weather coming up, it means much more time spent indoors with your children.  With twin 3 yr old boys it makes it hard when they are so full of energy and you cannot let them out to play.  The past few days have been so rainy here and I was scrambling to find something to do with them, that would occupy at least one hour of the day.  Finding small crafts for toddlers is sometimes a challenge but I ran across a really cute one at Walmart the other day.

Wilton the famous cake decorating and candy making supply company had these really cute Halloween candy necklaces that kids can put together and they were only $3.99, so I thought I would give them a try.  The boys had a blast and had even more fun eating them!  It is a nice little project to do with kids ages 3 and up, and they may need a little help.  But stringing on the candy beads is also a great way to develop those fine motor skills.

Check out our crafting day!!

Wordless Wednesday Pumpkin Patch

At The Pumpkin Patch! *scroll down*

Toddlers Are Inventive

Well….

I was on my way to the laundry room this morning, and around the corner I  see this.  I had to laugh because it was just a funny finding!  Maybe it’s their way of adding a decorative touch  LOL!

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