Disney Celebrates Social Media Moms (That’s ME!)

 

The SuperFamily is embarking on our first life-sized family vacation in just a few short weeks!  In true “I’m a blogger, it’s part of my life” style…. it will be a hybrid family vaca and social media extravaganza.

For the third year in a row, Walt Disney World, in conjunction with Resourceful Mommy Media, Mom Bloggers Club, Mom Select and 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL.  This awesome combination of Disney Magic, Social Media Bliss and Family Adventure is happening April 26 – 29 and this year, attendance is by invitation only.  You can imagine how excited I was when those first invitations went out on January 25 and I found one in my email.

How amazing is it that I get to be a part of this conglomeration of cool?!

I am waiting anxiously to hear what the conference has in store for us this year….past years have seen speakers like  Renee Syler, Chris Brogan, and Guy Kawasaki.  I get to spend 3 days with some of my favorite people in the blogosphere (I’m not going to name them…less I miss any!)….and I get to meet their families!  In these interwebs and at conferences we do form amazing relationships with other bloggers….people who “get” what we do.  Those people are in large part who they are because of their families….to have this opportunity to meet this other part of their lives and to share mine with them?  Extraordinary.

I’m not going to even try to play cool when it comes to the fact that I get to take my kids to Walt Disney World.  I mean:  WALT DISNEY WORLD!!  I have been there once before….for one day….when I was in college.  That’s it.  I can only imagine what is in store for us….but what sits in the front of my mind is the look of sheer amazement and joy on the faces of all three SuperKids when they see that castle looming before them….or when walking down the street towards them is:   Mickey Mouse!  Not a lot in this world can make me happier than sheer joy emanating from my children.  Shhhhh…We aren’t telling them where they are headed until we arrive at the park!!

Like the crazy adventurous people we are, SuperDad and I have decided to road trip our little ol’ family down to Florida.  That’s right:  2 adults and a 6, 4 and 2 year old in the minivan….headed for fun.  Sounds sort of Griswoldian, doesn’t it? (I blame Shannan for making it sound feasible).

I’m planning like a mad woman.  I’ve researched tricks and tips for car travel with the kids (and by researched, I of course mean I scoured Pinterest).  I rest comfortably in the knowledge that even if everything goes to hell in a hand basket out the window, our disastrous misadventure will at least make for good blog fodder.  I may be blogging for my sanity.

 

New Shoes for Spring from Earth Footwear

Without exerting a whole lot of effort, I’ve managed to slim myself down over the course of the last year.  While I am no where near the shape I was SEVEN loooong years ago (gravity is not my friend) … I am finally resting at my pre-ANY baby weight.  I’ll take it.

A few weeks ago SuperDad convinced me that it was time to buy myself some new clothes at my very favorite store, White House/Black Market.  I was giddy, ecstatic! I wrote a post.

So I have these fantastic new clothes just burning a hole in my closet…waiting to get worn out on the town…. or perhaps to Disney in April for the Disney Social Media Moms conference.  But I was having some trouble with the shoes.

Enter Earth Footwear.  The wonderful women at Global Influence and Bookieboo, LLC (the fabulous behind Mamavation) offered me the opportunity to review a product from Earth Foothwear’s new spring line…. with their new “positive heel” and their more affordable pricetag.  Win on both accounts!

I’m going to admit straight out that when I received the shoes I was not overly thrilled.  The style that was sent to me is not one that I would pick up and try on in the store….honestly,  I wouldn’t even give it a second glance.  I put off trying the shoes on for a bit…but when I did I was so excited about the positive heel that I started to take a second look at the shoes overall.  When I began to pair them up with some of my new clothes, I was more than surprised (and pleased!) to find that they would round out the outfits nicely!  (My mom used to tell me over and over not to discount clothes until I had actually tried them on…. she’s right again!)

 

 

Versatile shoes are always a plus, so I tried them out with a more casual outfit….plain ol’ jeans and a black tank top.  An outfit like this I can wear out for lunch with the girls or, if the star align, out for a fun Girl’s Night Out!

 

 

Earth Footwear is known for its “negative heel” shoes.  This new line has a “positive heel” that allows for some height without putting your feet through the trauma that high heeled shoes often do.  I love high heeled shoes but they do not love me.  With the onset of fibromyalgia during my pregnancy with SuperBaby, high heeled shoes are something I save for a rare occasion.  An occasion I will have time to recover from the next day with sore feet and legs.  These new Earth shoes have a padded heel to displace shock, a reinforced arch to help stabilize your feet and a multi-density latex cushioning layer for extra support.  These shoes were sounding better and better.

Sure enough, I can wear these shoes without feeling that swelling and aching in my feet that I normally get when I wear shoes with a heel.  Yeah!

 

 

You can learn more about the new Earth shoes by visiting their website and following them on Facebook.

To help celebrate this New Year, New Wardrobe New Earth campaign, Earth Footwear is offering up an amazing giveaway: you could win a trip to a Special Place on Earth, Free Shoes and $$ by clicking this link and entering today!

 

 

I was compensated for this post by Global Influence  as part of a Bookieboo LLC campaign w/ Earth Footwear and received a free pair of Earth Shoes for the review.  These wonderful people know all too well that I speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth….and they continue to hire me anyway.

 

 

LISTERINE Oral Care Challenge: National Children’s Dental Health Month

I have a “thing” about my mouth.  My teeth, to be more specific.  When it comes to dentistry, or anything orally hygienic, my skin begins to crawl, my stomach begins to churn…my skin gets clammy.

But just like everything else …um…quirky… in my life I’m determined that I won’t pass this along to my children.  They have all been visiting the dentist since they were a year old and I help them brush their teeth every day.  They do not see me squirm or go white when its my turn in the dentist’s chair (our dentist is very tuned in to my reactions and sensitivities and works with me to provide positive experiences for our kids).  This is especially important since it appears that both SuperBoy and SuperGirl will have an extended relationship with the local orthodontist.

Apparently, our efforts aren’t enough.  SuperGirl, who is 4 years old, has had two cavities filled.  Our fantastic dentist has reassured me that her teeth are so pitted, her grooves are so deep, that it was nearly inevitable.  So now we’ve done sealants on all of the kids and apparently, we need to step up the teeth brushing routine.

Come to find out, February is National Children’s Dental Health Month.  I know this because SuperBoy came home from school with a bag full of goodies (new toothbrush, toothpaste etc) and a bright red chart on which he is to mark off his diligent tooth brushing regimen. Of course big brother’s enthusiasm has carried over to the other kids as well.   I will admit that I had a small fit of cursing the school system for instilling this new found fervor for tooth brushing around our house…it is a slight irritation to have to ward off SuperBaby from the bathroom sink every 15 minutes.  I mean..I’ve found him brushing not only his teeth, but his shoes (inside and out), the walls and my dishwasher.  This is really a good thing and as intended, is going to help me step up my game.

Did you know that brushing alone misses 75% of your mouth?

Did you know that NOT using a rinse like Listerine means you are missing 70% of plaque and 36% of gingivitis?

Did you know that kiddos should starting brushing as soon as they have their first tooth? And flossing once they have two teeth touching?

 

Just about this same time, the SuperHousehold received a challenge from Listerine and Wal-Mart … a 3 Week Oral Care Challenge.  We are to brush our teeth 2x each day, rinse 2x each day (a new thing for us) and floss once per day.

We received a swanky little box full of toothbrushes for the family, toothpaste and several different types of Listerine Mouthwash (I’m talking Barbie, Phineas & Ferb, BATMAN…and even Listerine Total Care Zero which is perfect for people like me who already have issues with a dry mouth but still want the benefits of a rinse. I had the opportunity to sit in on a call that provided me with so much useful information (some I wish I didn’t know…but am now glad I do!) and some tips to help us make the most out of the time we spend cleaning our teeth (have you ever considered flossing before you brush your teeth?? Makes sense in hind sight, doesn’t it?!).  You can find more tips for yourself on oral care HERE.

The kids went bonkers for their new brushes and their rinses….SuperBoy is alternating days between Phineas and Ferb and Batman….and while we are not typically Barbie fans….well, it IS pink…so SuperGirl is over the moon.

We’ll be working on tightening up our oral health routines over the next 3 weeks, including brushing as a family (working on overcoming some of those mouth issues SuperDad and I have) …. creating habits and routines that will hopefully stick with our kids for a lifetime!  Be sure to check in and see how we are doing!

 

I received products and compensation from Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the Oral Care Challenge. As usual, the thoughts, opinions and random musings within the post….are my own.  No one else would claim them.

Luck of the Draw

When we moved into our new home last March, we found ourselves in a new school district.  A new destination for SuperBoy’s Kindergarten Adventure.

We were told repeatedly that we needed to request Teacher A.  She has been there for years… our neighbors with teenagers told us how great she was with their kids, friends with kids heading into kindergarten told us “You really should request Teacher A.”

We got Teacher B.

She seemed a little nervous at “Meet the Teacher” night…. her voice was shaky.

SuperBoy returned from his very first day to report that Teacher B was really smart.  I took note.

I volunteered a couple of mornings with Teacher B.  I was mesmerized by how she was melding those little minds.  She read to them with animation.  She taught them how to make graphs.  When they were loud she did a cool little clappy thing that got them all to quiet down and pay attention.  She said it was okay if SuperBoy wanted to bring his iPod to class to make videos.

When my mom went to visit SuperBoy at school on Grandparent’s Day she mentioned that Teacher B didn’t seem as organized as Teacher A…and Teacher A’s room looked much more “decorated”.  I told her that I didn’t think that much mattered….Teacher A had years of ideas stored away in her room….Teacher B had fresh ideas taking hold.

One day after school, Teacher A got very stern with me because I wasn’t moving out of the pick-up lane quickly enough.  SuperBoy was trying to get buckled in and I was trying to get Teacher B’s attention (as instructed per the school manual, kindergarten round-up, Meet the Teacher night and the first PTO meeting…) to let her know I was taking him home.  “Make Eye Contact with Your Child’s Teacher”.  Teacher A got downright rude and told me to get moving.

Teacher B continues to impress me.  My son loves her class.

Yesterday SuperBoy had an accident at school that involved his front two teeth being knocked out.  He was hurting, he was sad, he was worried about what he looked like and wondered if everyone would laugh.  In an email I sent last night, I mentioned these things to the school nurse, the principal and his teacher.

When I picked SuperBoy up today he told me all about the Tooth Fairy book they read during carpet time, about how everyone loses their teeth sometime.

At the end of Parent Teacher Conferences tonight Teacher B told us that she had asked her husband to dig up a picture of her from childhood and would be emailing it to us as soon as it came through.

We got that email….a school picture of a smiling 2nd grader who was missing her two front teeth.

SuperBoy’s eyes got wide…and a big grin spread across his face.

Be still my heart!

Teacher B will forever top my list of the best things to happen to us this year.

Little Things: I Love You Pancakes

 

Little Things like breakfast made with love are important.  This year I made little heart pancakes for the kids, served as always with my homemade pancake syrup (corn syrup is okay if you put it in your own recipe, right?).

It turns out, this was the highlight of the day.  The hours that followed were a mixture of chaos, unprecidented application of Murphy’s Law and downright bad luck.  I’m so glad that I even though I was exhausted and the kids were crabby and bickering…. I stuck to my guns and got this breakfast on the table.

We called it quits on V-Day by noon….so I’m glad the kids will remember a Little Thing like heart shaped pancakes filled with love on their breakfast table this Valentine’s Day.

Little Things: Happy Valentine

Little Things like a snuggle from a warm little body can add perspective to the worst of days.

Today is one of those: a lousy, no good, rotten, very bad day. SuperDad and I were on the couch, staring at the walls (okay, the television…whatever)….when SuperBaby wandered in, groggy from his nap and climbed into my lap. His warmth and his smell flooded over me bringing calm and gratitude for all little things.

My Littlest Valentine.

Little Things: Monumental

 

A Little Thing like new clothes can make a girl feel fantastic.  If those new clothes come from your favorite store, the one you have avoided shopping at for FIVE YEARS because you wanted desperately  to enjoy the shopping experience; to have the clothes fit and look good, to not cry in the dressing room and  more than anything, to look in the mirror and see YOU looking back …. it becomes monumental.

After five years, I am comfortable with my body again.  I’m not perfect, but I’m good.  Many thanks to SuperDad who took me shopping this weekend because “it is time”.

Little Things: He Made the Bed

 

Turning down the sheets when its time to get in bed is something that gives me great pleasure.  I also thoroughly enjoy seeing my nicely made bed every morning.

There in lies the rub:  I almost never make my bed.

My bedroom is the single most neglected room in the house: always at the bottom of a never ending to-do list.

Last weekend I went kamikaze on our bedroom….it isn’t completely done but it is 8,ooo times better than it was.

Today when I got done feeding the kids breakfast and stumbled back into my room to get dressed (ok…to brush my teeth…I’m still in my pjs).. this is what I saw.  My husband had taken a minute to make up the bed before he left for work.

I’m such a perfectionist about things like this:  I like the tops of the sheets ironed so they lay flat, I like the pillow cases and the duvet to be wrinkle free, I want it made “just so”.  When I can’t accomplish all of these things (which takes a monumental alignment in the heavens) I always opt to not do it all:  If you can’t do it right…don’t do it.

What a DUMB thing to do to myself!

In the spirit of full disclosure:  My ridiculously over-the-top control freak self couldn’t even “snap” this picture without messing with the bed a bunch of times to make it look “just a little better” …because all of those things I listed above weren’t done.  I could KICK myself.

Today I’m grateful that my husband took the time to do this one little thing to brighten my day….and remind me of what is important and what is not.

Little Things: February Float

 

Sitting in my living room with the windows wide open this February First I decided that a Root Beer Float would make a mighty fine treat.  Did I wait for the kids to wake up from their naps?

No.

Did I selfishly indulge all by myself?

Yes.

Sometimes a little thing like an afternoon treat, enjoyed in silence, can change the tone of the rest of your day.

 

It appears that the idea of posting little things I have accomplished each day has turned into more of a gratitude journal….I think I’m okay with that.  Taking the time to capture the moment in a photo…and then share it…makes its impact on my day more significant.  Besides, taking a picture of a root beer float is much more interesting than the 5 loads of laundry I did….. and if I waited to take a picture of ALL five loads…they probably wouldn’t all get put away, anyway…

Little Things: Paid In Full

 

The second of our three vehicles is now paid in full….and ahead of schedule!  We now have our Honda Odyssey and our Toyota Tacoma paid in full.  We have had the van for 2 ½ years (we paid cash) and the truck for almost 2 years.  The only thing left is the motorcycle…which we’ve owned longer than any of them.  Guess what?  I’m paying that one off THIS WEEK!

Okay…this isn’t really a LITTLE thing…it is a HUGE accomplishment….but it was the little things that got us here: buying used cars, following a budget, skipping a lot of “extras” and committing to the goal of not having debt.

My husband, in particular, often struggles with “the big picture”:  “How do I work so hard and I can’t have X”   This escapes my realm of reality.  I think we are doing FANTASTIC!  Our home and student loans are our only debt.

The little things can literally add up faster than you think.  One penny at a time.

 

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