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Black Friday Ruined by Retailers

November 22, 2011 By 3 Comments

For many Black Friday is a kick off to the holiday season.  This year retailers have chosen to change the game a bit.  Many retailers will be opening on Thanksgiving Evening. Santa where are you?  We need your help so that Christmas does not ruin Thanksgiving and Black Friday traditions. While I completely understand corporate America’s desire to rake in the Christmas cash I think that we all have to re-evaluate a few things.

A Turkey.

Image via Wikipedia

  • Thanksgiving is a NATIONAL holiday.  This is the only nation holiday that almost everyone has the opportunity to be with their family and friends.  It is wrong to get rid of this holiday for monetary reasons.  Christmas on the other hand is a religious holiday and no retailer would dare to be open on Christmas day.
  • Many people shop on Black Friday. How much more money can they rake in by opening 4 hours earlier?  Is it worth the impact that will be felt to open that 4 hours early?  Will they lose out on sales because they have made many shoppers annoyed?  I know many people who will not be shopping on Black Friday this year.
  • Why are we so driven by retail?  Because of the retailers big push this year, I am completely stressed and it is not even the Christmas season yet.  By the time Christmas gets here I think we will all be quite tired of it.  The neighbors are already decorating.  any people have their trees out and the Salvation Army Bell Ringer is already out.
  • Will Christmas overtake Thanksgiving all together?  This holiday that has been in existence for so long seems to be losing the Christmas battle.  So will we all soon throw it away all together to make more room for Christmas?  Also what will happen to black Friday is we continue to move the shopping earlier and earlier?  Retailers will not have the ability to have one big make it or break it day!

I know that many of you think that I am nuts.  For goodness sakes I have a holiday countdown every year so how hypocritical can I be.  The truth is that I believe that preparing for the season in advance is important.  I think that in budgeting and planning we find some peace and certainly less stress.  I would never, ever start decorating my house before Thanksgiving.  While Christmas is a very special time in my heart, so too is Thanksgiving.  Having worked in retail for years I really believe that it is time to reexamine what is important.  I know that it is economically tough times but is it worth sacrificing people’s ability to spend Thanksgiving enjoying family?

On the other hand what is wrong with all of us.  I know that many of you reading this will be out there Thanksgiving night to get a hot deal.  While I can respect your desire to save money and get the items you want I am asking you to stay home.  Hold your babies a little longer, enjoy the pumpkin pie, talk to family members you may not have the chance to see through out the year.  Let Thanksgiving be Thanksgiving and start Christmas in the morning.

The truth is that the hot item you leave your family to go out and get will be gone before you get there anyway.  They only buy 10 of those hot items and the employees buy it up and hide them before the doors open.  Show corporate America that they do not have the power to ruin another holiday.  Let Christmas and all of its glory start Friday.  What is the next holiday to be sucked up and ruined by Christmas??  Perhaps Halloween will be the new Thanksgiving.

Becca

 

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Occupy Wall Street: Occupy Oakland Raids

October 28, 2011 By 2 Comments
Wall Street

Image by jpellgen via Flickr

Let me begin by saying that there are two sides to each and every story and somewhere in the middle lies the truth.  As thousands protested in Oakland it seems as if they were met with extreme force.  While some say that the entire Occupy Wall Street movement is a leaderless group with no clear goals, other say that there are clear demands and that no one is taking the time out to see what Occupy Wall Street is all about.  I have done some research and all I can say is THANK YOU!  I cannot go out and sit in the streets for months at a time, but for the people who can and are; around the nation and world, I applaud you.  As I watch video after video of the raid on Occupy Oakland movement I am saddened and disheartened.  We are all Americans.  We live in a nation in which we have the right to assemble and the right to stand up when we feel injustice is occurring.  All of us should be thankful that this brave set of individuals are bringing awareness to concerns that are decades in the making.

I have watched a lot of the videos of the Occupy Oakland Raid in the past day and a half.  Part of me keeps watching them to see if I see my brother, who has not checked in yet, and part of me watches because I am just in such disbelief.  These are not images of a free America.  These images closely resemble nations across the world.  Nations in which the people are suppressed.  Nations that are not build on democracy and freedom.   What have we done and how do we fix it.

I see a lot of the points Occupy Wall Street is making.  I agree with many of them.  As a family of 6 it is tough to make it.  Having grown up in middle class, I struggle to hang on to my class status. Each day it becomes more difficult.  There are so many things that our family is suffering through that many others, in this once great nation, are also suffering.  It is my understanding that Occupy Wall Street and All of the Occupy movements are looking for basic things.

  • Take the money out of politics.  Special interests and lobbyist have ruled this nation for too long.  It is time for the laws to be made by the people for the people once again.
  • Spreading of the wealth.  While some are against higher taxes for higher income brackets I am not.  The trouble is that the days of philanthropy are long gone.  The upper class and corporations have been ruled by greed.  People with money used to spread it around.  A CEO of a business would make sure that all of the employees of that business are able to survive before taking millions in bonuses.  They would give holiday bonuses to all of the workers.  It seems to me that in today’s society, the upper class keeps the wealth with no regard to the hardworking people who brought that wealth to them.
  • Health care… what a mess.  This is another matter of greed and money.  Even doctors are fed up with insurance companies.  11 years ago I had a baby and paid $20 for my entire pregnancy.  I paid for insurance and when I needed it… they covered me.  Now I pay three times as much to have insurance and they cover next to nothing.  This past pregnancy cost $12,000 out of pocket.  What American has that kind of money sitting around.  It almost totals the amount of my entire college education.
  • Jobs, jobs, jobs.  Where are the jobs?  As a nation we make nothing.  We have become a nation founded on service.  Machines and “convenience” factors such as Easy Pass, self check out in the stores and online banking have stolen our jobs.  As a nation we need to stand up and figure out how to fix this very real crisis.

While I do not feel as if this great nation needs to become a socialized nation, I do believe that we have to take a long, hard look at what capitalism is doing to us.  This nation post 9/11 is a utter mess. We have been stripped of our privacy and rights due to fear.  We have allowed corporations to run this nation.  It is time for something to change and it is my belief that the protesters of Occupy Wall Street are on a positive path.  Change is inevitable… let’s just pray that it is change for the better.

Becca

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Zhu Zhu Babies Review

September 11, 2011 By 2 Comments

Thanks to Momselect, I was given another opportunity to review a great kids product.  We had a Zhu zhu baby party and it could not have gone better.  Momselect and the makers of Zhu Zhu babies gave me the opportunity to review the Zhu Zhu babies not only with my children, but also with their friends.  Today the stork dropped by and delivered Zhu Zhu babies to our house.

We started our Zhu Zhu adventure with a scavenger hunt.  Being that we just had a baby 2 months ago there were plenty of places to hide everyones Zhu Zhu Baby.  I wrapped them all up so that there was no fighting over who got which Zhu Zhu.  The girls started their adventure with a clue leading them to the high chair, baby swing, cabinet in the kitchen with the baby bottles, bouncy sear, crib and more.  With each clue the excitement grew and grew.  The girls all raced around trying to find the Zhu Zhu baby that was for them.

Once they all had their wrapped Zhu Zhu they tore the packaging off.  The girls LOVED them.  Comments included, “they are so much cuter than the big Zhu Zhu pets.” and “oh they are so cute”.  I let them open them and then explained to them that every baby needs a birth certificate.  I printed up birth certificates to color and decorate for each girl.  Some chose to change the name of their Zhu Zhu babies, while others kept the name that the baby came with.

 

From here it was off to snacks and a Zhu Zhu Babies Dance Recital.  The people at Zhu ZHu were nice enough to send a Dance Recital Zhu Zhu Babies set for the girls to try out their Zhu Zhu pets. With the help of our new mommy Zhu Zhu the Zhu Zhu Babies were able to put their tutus on and dance up a storm.  The girls played and played with them.  They seemed to really enjoy them.

 

All in all this was a huge success!  The girls had a great time playing with their new Zhu Zhu Babies and the moms loved them when they arrived.  I think that they will all be going out and buying a few more Zhu Zhu Babies for their little ones!  The funny part was that I let Emma have this party rather than Abigail.  I felt that she had outgrown Zhu Zhu Pets.  Boy was I wrong.  She did not care that she would be 11 in a few weeks.  She wanted to know why she did not get one!  So the mom that I am I broke down and let her come to the party too!  She seemed to love it more than the 7-8 year old girls.  I was told that I could not tell anyone but oh well.  She even took the time out today to build her Zhu Zhu Baby a little Zhu Zhu home!  Thank you so much to MomSelect and Zhu Zhu for allowing us yet another wonderful opportunity!

Becca

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Hurricane Irene Peach Pie

August 28, 2011 By 2 Comments

Hurricane Irene has torn NY apart.  We are currently under a state of emergency and unable to leave our homes.  All major and most of the minor roads in and out of town are flooded and the lights keep flickering.  People in nearby towns are being evacuated and we are worried that we will soon have to boil our water. For Rob this means that we are having a baking and cooking afternoon.  First on the list was to make homemade peach pie.  The funny thing about it is that we are not huge peach lovers but in a hurricane such as Irene you make due with what you have in the house.

So, after a bunch of prodding and guilt trips, I got roped into baking.  At first I was not all that into it, but once Rob made the homemade pie crust and cut everything up I was more receptive.  After all he made all of the hard stuff.  If I am going to be able claim some credit I have to help.  So I dug the cookbook out for him.  We have a wonderful cookbook that we got the pie crust recipe out of.  It is put out by CIA (Cullinary Institute of America) and is called Baking at home with The Culinary Institute of America.  It is a wonderful cookbook.  Everything we make out of it turns out perfect.

From there we were in search of the easiest, yummiest peach pie recipe we could fine.  At Food.com we were able to find just that.  A recipe with the title Simple Peach Pie could not be all that bad.  The recipe has 39 reviews great reviews so how bad can it be.  We checked to assure that we had all of the ingredients in the house and made a few minor adjustments and mixed up what we are hoping will be a perfect peach pie.

Now we are off to making a Mexican feast.  Please Hurricane Irene get out already.  You are completely ruining my weight loss efforts!  between last nights Thyme and sun dried tomato bread with basil oil to today’s peach pie; I am scared to hop on the scale tomorrow.  I have a feeling it will not be good.  I just keep telling myself; everything in moderation.

Becca

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Great Local Gastroenterologist Dr. Robin Baradarian

May 16, 2011 By 1 Comment

Gastroenterology is an interesting field.  So many things can effect your GI tract and it is important that you have a good doctor by your side to identify the real cause for GI pain and discomfort.  As many of you may know already, my daughters both suffer from a rare disease called Mastocytosis.  Although Mastocytosis is found mainly in the skin it can spread and has a great impact on the GI tract.  In trying to find a good Gastroenterologist, I have time and time again stumbled upon Dr. Robin Baradarian.  There is a great deal of information not only on Dr. Baradarian but also a great deal of publications, videos and so on.  I believe that he may have some GI answers in relation to Mastocytosis.  There are many things that intrigued me.  Here is a list of some of what I personally find to be impressive about Dr. Robin Baradarian;

As you can see Dr. Robin Baradarian has extensive knowledge, experience and most importantly patient support.  Although it would be a little over an hour to get to his office, it may be a trip worth taking with the girls.  Oh and I even found Dr. Baradarian on YouTube!  Check out that great video on heartburn that we can all benefit from!

 

Becca

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Baby Registry Checklist

April 9, 2011 By 2 Comments
192/365

Image by ladybugbkt via Flickr

What You Really Need to Register for:

When I had my first baby I took the list that I was given at Babies R Us and followed it religiously.  With each additional baby the list of needs and wants has changed quite a bit!  There were so many things that I received that I did not use or need.  So this time I registered I decided to make a list of the baby items I really needed.  If people are going to spend their hard earned money on me I would rather then spend it on things I need as opposed to things that will go unused.

I know that you are wondering what I took off of the list.  So many first time moms wonder what they really need to have for the baby!  So here is my list of needs:

  • Car seat:  You will need an infant car seat right away.  As for booster seats and car seats for older kids you do not need them for at least a year.  This will mean that you will have to store this item for a year or more until you are ready to use it.
  • Stroller: I would say that this is a need.  It is too hard to go out into the world with a baby and not have something to help you in your travels.  I would recommend a travel system.  This way you will not have to wake the baby each time you go somewhere.  You just take the infant carrier and move it into the stroller.
  • Backpacks and Carriers: I would say that you need a carrier but could skip the backpack.  There are many carriers that convert into a backpack as the baby grows.  If you get the backpack it will be another item that you cannot use right away which means more storage items.
  • Play Yard: For me this is a need.  When the baby is first born we use the play yard as a bassinet in our room.  As the baby grown the play yard acts as a wonderful place to contain the baby while you take that much needed shower or while you do the dishes.  The play yard will act as a bed on vacation for at least 2 years.  It is well worth the $100-$150 you will spend on it!
  • Swing: Up until my youngest I would have put this as a baby need.  My first two girls loved the swing and it afforded me an opportunity to relax a little.  My youngest was unable to see as an infant and was only in the swing 2 times. All in all I would say that a baby swing of some sort is a need.  There are many options from cradle swings, to travel swings to traditional swings.  I would say your house only needs one.
  • Baby Gym: These are also a need. Many parents forget how important tummy time is for babies!  The more tummy time a baby has the quicker they will crawl and walk.
  • Bouncers: I would say that this is also a need.  The nice part is that there are many swings now that have a detachable bouncy seat.  This is like getting 2 items for the price of 1.
  • Bottles: Even if you are breastfeeding this is a need.  You never know when you will need them but most mommies find that they need them at some point.
  • Burp Cloths: While these are a need I recommend buying cloth diapers and using them as burp cloths.  This is cheaper and to be honest they hold a lot more spit up and are bigger.
  • Eating Accessories: In my opinion these items are not a need.  These items are items that could be purchased at a later date and will again have to be stored.  Skip the spoons, bowls and so on for now.
  • Baby Bath Tub: Again this is not something I consider a need.  Using the kitchen sink is so much easier.  There is also so much less to clean up this way.  A baby bath tub means that you will have to do a lot of bending or that water will be where it should not!
  • High Chair: This is another thing that I would consider to be a need.  It is important to have a few places where you can contain the baby.  Because many high chairs recline and have 5 point harness systems this offers a safe place to put the baby down while you are eating.
  • Baby Gates: These items are another group that could wait until your new little one is moving around somewhere.  This is also an item that is safe to buy in garage sales or off of Craigs list.  The choice is yours but in my personal opinion I would wait.
  • Bedding: While this is not a need I would say register for it if you know what you would like your nursery to be.  Other bedding such as blankets and sheets should make it onto your baby registry.

I would not put clothing on your baby registry.  When people are shopping your registry list they will not be able to resist the cute clothing in each aisle.  Most of all have fun.  Make sure that you take a few hours out of your schedule to register.  I walk up and down each aisle and see what I need and what I want.  Most of all… Have fun!

Becca

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Mariska Hargitay Adopts New Bundle of Joy

April 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mariska Hargitay

I just read that Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law and Order: SVU” and her husband, Peter Herman, have adopted a baby girl.  I am so excited for Mariska Hargitay.  She seems like such a wonderful person both on screen and off screen.

According to People Magazine Mariska Hargitay and Peter Herman are excited to announce the new addition to their family.  Mariska already has a 4 year old son, August.  They are now adding a baby girl into the family!  Every mom needs a girl!  As I have recently noticed, they are a lot more fun to dress.

Mariska Hargitay and Peter Herman have been investigating adoption for quite some time now.  Even in Hollywood, adoption takes time and patience.  Mariska Hargitay said, “We talked a lot about mixed-race adoptions, and we are very excited that we are now a multi-racial family. We’re just so happy she’s here.”

The baby girl was born about a week ago and has been named Amaya Josephine.    They have welcomed a new bundle of joy and Mariska Hargitay did not have to ruin her figure!

Becca

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Crayola Colored Bubbles: Worth the Mess?

April 3, 2011 By 3 Comments
“I wonder how much it would take to buy a soap...

Image by katerha via Flickr

Somehow without me noticing something cool came out.  Crayola developed bubbles that blow in vivid colors.  This is a new exciting twist in the old world of bubbles!  I never would have imagined being able to blow blue or orange bubbles.  The bubbles sell in three packs for the ticket price of $10.  On the front of the bottle these bubbles claim to be washable.  There of course seems to be many warnings on these special new bubbles.

  1. Before use, test on an inconspicuous area and let dry.  Wash off to make sure bubbles do not stain.
  2. Do not use at weddings of indoors.
  3. Keep away from brick, vinyl, finished and unfinished wood, wallpaper, painted walls, carpeting, draperies and other materials that cannot be laundered.

Washing instructions are not all that simple either.  There is a whole section on the bottle that states how garments should be washed if a spill occurs:

  1. Wash immediately.
  2. Wash with hot water only
  3. Do not use stain lifters because they make the stain worse.

It seems that although colored bubbles sound like a lot of fun they are not.  Parents are outraged and comments are coming in from around the nation.  Reviews on Amazon are unfavorable to say the least.  Out of 48 customer reviews only 2 parents gave Crayola Colored Bubbles 5 stars.  From there it is all down hill!  2 customer reviews gave the bubbles 3 stars and 42 reviews gave these seemingly wonderful bubble only one star.  The ratings at Toys R Us are no better.   With 15 reviews total I only see 1 5 star review and the remaining 14 reviews are all one star reviews.

So the moral of the story is this.  Although these bubbles sound like a blast they are anything but!  They are messy, stain everything they come into contact with, and worst of all many people stated that they do not even float well.  My advice is to stay away from this in Easter baskets this year.  The mess alone makes this novelty not worth it!

Becca

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HOP: New Easter Movie

March 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Tomorrow is the big day that I have been waiting for.  Hop is coming to a movie theater near me!  I have been begging my kids to go to see Hop for about a month now and think that I have finally convinced them. There are of course reasons that I want to go and see this movie.

  1. Hop the movie has the funniest actor in a long time in a lead roll.  Russell Brand has been in many recent movies that I have laughed uncontrollably while watching.  He is full of whit, his accent makes him cute although  I am in no way impressed by his unkempt appearance.
  2. It is a kids Easter movie.  The last kids Easter movie I remember is Peter Cotton Tail!  It has been a while.
  3. I love how the Easter Bunny in “Hop” is from Easter Island.  What a great idea!
  4. After watching “Hop: HBO’s First Look” I knew that I wanted to see this one.  It looks like a great laugh for audiences both young and old!  There are laughs for the kids and some that are there just for adults.
  5. I know that it will be a great jump start for the often overlooked Easter season.
  6. It has been a great incentive to get work done in our house in preparation for the new baby!

I cannot wait to hear what you all think.  Hop sounds like a wonderful family film that will have to become a family Easter tradition in our house!  Goodness knows that there are not enough Easter Traditions out there.

Becca

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What to Expect: Baby News

January 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Woman pregnancy month by month.
Image via Wikipedia

As many of you may or may not know… We are expecting a new addition to our family.  It is funny how with the first baby you think of everything, you plan out the child’s entire life before it is born and you baby yourself while you are pregnant.  Well for us, this is number 4 and there is no time for any of it.  This baby WILL be our last baby which brings mixed feelings… On one hand it is hard to say goodbye to the beautiful and wonderful experience that having a baby brings…. on the other hand we are getting older and are ready to embark on the next chapter of life.

So now we beg the question… will it be a boy or a 4th girl?  Personally I say it is a girl.  Part of me is hoping that it will be a girl because it is what I know.  Part of me is thinking that a boy would be a nice change of pace after 3 girls.  I am certainly ready to know what I am having because either way… I have to re-buy everything… I did peak at the price of formula the other day and almost died!  This baby will take some careful preparation.

So after a bumpy first trimester I have moved onto my second trimester.  The feelings of sour stomach and fatigue are beginning to lift and I am starting to feel like I may live through all of this.  So wish me luck and please stay tuned… I am sure that the next 6 months will bring some great experiences.

Becca

Let me know what you think… Is it a girl or a boy?

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