Sam's Club is at it again

For those of you that have been following me since the holidays, you know that I spent quite a bit of time searching for and entering at various blogs for Sam's Club gift cards. As a SAHM, gift cards are a great way for me to buy gifts for hubby that don't require me spending the money he has earned. :o) Well, Sam's Club is at it again, and so am I. Some of my favorite mom bloggers are giving away gift cards again, and while I'm not one of them, I'm here to pass the information on to you (and earn myself some extra entries in the process. Good Luck!

Be sure to check out MommyGoggles giveaway. She's very crafty and is even building a loft for her kids playroom.

Outnumbered 3-1 is also hosting a Sam's giveaway on her site, along with several other great reviews and giveaways.

What's That Smell is also having a giveaway. It looks like hers is a "live" one . . . I love those! Be sure to keep track of her as well. She even gave away a Sony Reader over the holidays.

3 Kids and Us is also having a giveaway. I've just recently discovered her, but I love that she has fun recipes on her site. Sam's club was also giving away free bags here, but unfortunately those are already gone. Keep an eye out for other free samples from them though.

Audrey at Momgenerations also has some GCs to give away. Follow her for great fashion advice as well.

The Poshpreneur is also giving some GCs away. If you want to enter hers, hurry. It ends Monday!

I've even discovered My Wooden Spoon through these giveaways! Her site is loaded with recipes, and as a trying-to-cook-more mom I can use all the help I can get.

I will update if I find more, but good luck to you for now (and cross some fingers for me too please!)

Northline Express & Microcenter are on my list . . .

For those of you that know me fairly well, you know that I have an issue with bad customer service. As a person working in retail, food service, etc. it is your job to be nice to and assist your customers. Please don't roll your eyes when I ask if you have a particular product that I had been unable to locate on my own. Please don't sigh when I interrupt your phone call with your boyfriend to ask you about your pricematch policy. Please, at least once during our interaction, smile or say "thank you". I can guarantee that I will have smiled and said "thank you" to you before our interaction is done. Also, if you don't like that job, then find another one. I say this as a person that worked in retail for much of my life. Even after earning my Master's Degree I worked in retail while I looked for a job in my field as well as to supplement my income after I found one. I know that it can be a difficult and frustrating line of work. When customers are angry, they take it out on you, but you still must be nice. Often you can't fix whatever it is that they are upset about, either because the computers won't allow it, or because you don't have the authority to do it. You will be called names and threatened by people that don't know anything about you. I get that. I understand that some of the general public is unappreciative. Please don't begin our interaction assuming that I am as well. Unfortunately I have found in recent years that bad customer service is becoming an epidemic. I have begun to expect people to be rude and unfriendly. In fact, when I come across CSRs that are civil, I'm happy. When I am fortunate enough to encounter CSRs that are pleasant, I am OVERJOYED. It makes my entire day, maybe even week! Amazingly, in the past week or two I have been almost giddy thanks to two stores, Northline Express and Microcenter.

I'll begin with Microcenter. A couple of weeks ago, Microcenter had a Wii Remote posted for $20. I immediately ordered two to complete our collection. It turns out that the posting was a price mistake. Most companies will send out a mass email stating that an item was a price mistake, that they are not going to be honoring it, and that your order has been canceled. I often search for deals and am not surprised nor angry when this happens. However, I must say that I was thrilled when I received a follow-up email stating that the item was a price mistake, that they were working with the manufacturer to see how many they could get in stock, and that they would be filling the orders (one per customer) until the supplies ran out. I have received my one remote and will be stopping by my Microcenter next time I go to the "big city" to purchase another one at full price. I will support companies that have integrity and do what they can to show customers that they are valued.



Northline Express is a store based in Roscommon, MI that sells "Quality Home Leisure Products" (from their website). I'm not exactly sure what that is, but I have purchased heaters, and cast iron pans from them, and am looking into some of their mosquito products for the spring/summer months. In fact, just this past week I was looking to purchase my second heater from them as a gift for my husband, Doc. He spends much of his time working in his barn and often complains about the cold. I knew that they carried the product I wanted because I had purchased from them before. However, I was able to find the product for a lower price elsewhere. I contacted them via email and received a quick response back that they would be willing to match the price, but I needed to call them to order it. To be honest, I was a little nervous. I don't like calling places because I'd prefer not to hear the sighs, frustration, and condescension in their voices. I much prefer to be able to ignore that via email or online chat. When I called I was shocked at how kind and friendly the CSR was. She took my information,thanked me for my order, and said that she hoped I had a wonderful day . . . with sincerity! I found myself smiling all day after our interaction. In fact, I have been smiling since then, as the product arrived well before the expected delivery date. I've bragged about the company to at least 30 people in person since that day and am now posting it here for anyone to see. I hope that if you need any "Quality Home Leisure Products" Northline Express is the first place you look. I can guarantee they will be the first on mine!

*Note: I have not received any compensation, products, discounts, etc for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Sometimes when you find a product/company that is this great you just want to shout it from the rooftops.

My New Year's Resolution

Yes, I do realize that it is the end of January and I am just now getting around to posting about my New Year's resolution. In my defense though, I don't typically make resolutions. In the past I had not been able to keep them, so I just figured I should cut out the middle man and skip them altogether. Sounds logical, right? The difference this year is that it isn't my typical resolution. In the past I've resolved to never eat dessert (which lasted all of 3 minutes), to exercise every day (does typing count?), to not be grouchy to my husband (Hey Doc, stop laughing, at least I thought about it), and other similar ideas. Looking back, I think that maybe I set myself up for failure by my unrealistic expectations. This year my goal was different. My resolution was/is to be more positive. Simple. I don't have to be positive all the time, just more often. For example, on NYE Doc and I went to a local event. I'm not going to tell you which one, but I will say that it made this list http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE4BS1Y820081229. The next day I talked to most of my family and friends, and all asked how the night went. Old Melissa would have started by complaining about how cold it was, then picked out all of the pitfalls of the night to expound upon (and trust me, there were plenty). This year, I talked about the amazing fireworks, bragged about what a fun experience it was, and laughed about the humorous glitches. Even today, when I think about NYE I smile and am grateful that I had the opportunity to go. It is amazing how much a simple change in perspective can actually change your life!

Why I've been MIA...

I like to blog. It is a fun way for me to vent frustrations, ask questions, and just feel like I have a voice. However, I am not a good "blogger". I don't do a good job of proofreading my posts. (Sorry for the multitude of typos and grammatical errors.) I don't solicit products to review, nor have I had any giveaways. (Expect one soon though ;o) ) Also, my blog is not my priority. When things come up, as they always seem to, I don't lose out on sleep to update regularly. While I sometimes love to write about whatever happens to be going on in my life, sometimes I would just prefer to live my life...in secret. So, if any of you have been wondering where I've been, I've been here, at home, living life and enjoying every minute of it!

Curl up with a book, win a nook . . .

Anya Bast and Lauren Dane are working together to give away several books and even a Nook! I'd love to win one and I'm sure many of you would too. If you'd like to give it a shot head over to http://www.anyabast.com/2009/12/21/curl-up-with-a-book-and-a-nook/ , read the rules and post a comment. Good Luck!

My happiness . . .

As a mom, I would be lying if I said that my kids brought me joy all the time. In fact, there are times when they make life pretty darn difficult. However, even with all the added stress they sometimes bring to my life, they also bring me the greatest joy I've ever experienced. From the time they were born, my girls have given me something to live for, aspire to, and smile about. Their genuine smiles and laughter are absolutely contagious. The sincerity with which they appreciate the smallest things is uplifting. When I am smart enough to remind myself to pay attention to these amazing little people, my life is so much better.

Here are a few just a few examples of how my girls can make me so happy:

1. Pumpkin needed turkey shaped cookies for school. Being a non-creative, non-artistic mom, I had every intention of going to the store and buying turkey cut-out cookies. Do you know that not one store within 30 miles of my home makes turkey cut-out cookies? I ended up having to try to make cookies that looked like turkeys and the picture at the top of this post is the end result. My sweet 4 year old woke up the next morning, saw the cookies and said, "They don't look like turkeys, but I love them mom! Thank you." and gave me a big hug and kiss.
   
2. Peanut, my oldest daughter is 5 going on 16. She has somehow learned the fine art of the eyeroll and the sigh, but still knows how to make my day. She loves to learn and gets so excited about the tiniest things. She asks amazing questions and appreciates you taking time to give her answers. She's my ulta-observant child and will want to stop the car if she sees a rainbow to get out and just stare at it. She loves the simple joys of planting a garden and jumping in leaves. She truly appreciates the joy of nature.
   

This post was inspired by a contest posted here:
http://www.iambarkingmad.com/spotted_dick_and_other_mu/2009/12/barking-mads-crazy-christmas-300-target-giftcard-giveaway-.html What an amazing and inspirational idea, especially around the holidays. It is great to be able to focus on the good, rather than the bad in life. Thanks so much for the giveaway and the positive thoughts you are spreading by this contest.

What does your child pick up from classmates?

Why is it that my kids only seem to pick up the bad habits of other children? First, let me tell you that I am well aware that my munchkins are not perfect. They have plenty of faults, but they also have some AMAZING characteristics. I'm sure that the other kids in Peanut's kindergarten class have wonderful characteristics too, but for some reason she only comes home with their bad habits. My daughter never used to roll her eyes . . . now it is an almost daily occurrence. At the beginning of the year she came home telling me about how another student in her class threw away his sandwich and just ate his snacks and dessert every day. "Can you believe it, mommy? Doesn't he know he has to eat his real food first?" was her response. When her grandparents would offer her a snack or dessert, she would politely say, "Thank you, I'll save this for after I eat my real food." I had her trained so well! This week, I've discovered that she's now throwing out her sandwich as well. Her first taste of independence and she isn't making good choices . . . What should I do?

Giving Back for the Holidays

While I should be more aware of the needs of others all year round (This might make a good New Years Resolution!), the Holidays always bring me a quick reminder. From the ringing bells of the Salvation army to the requests that come home from school for canned food, they make it easy to give during the holidays. In fact companies in general also seem to be much more generous during the holidays and often give you the opportunity to help. For example, on Facebook, several companies donated money to ToysForTots, or other charities for each of their new fans. There are companies that will match your donations or give a donation for each product that you purchase. One of these companies is Robeez. They are doing a "Season of Giving" promotion where they will donate a pair of soft-soled Robeez to KIDS (Kids in Distressed Situations) for each pair of soft-soled shoes that you buy through December 23rd. If you haven't shopped Robeez before, you really should take a look. I have LOVED them for my girls. Not only are they adorable, but they also have earned the Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association. I love that they even have Holiday boots for the colder weather. My favorite pair of Robeez are the ones found here. They are so adorable and would match just about any outfit you might put your little girl in.

So, what are you doing to give back for the holidays? Personally, I have donated blood and purchased lots of extra toys for ToysForTots. (I love finding good deals and can't pass them up, so knowing I can give them to a good cause gives me a reason not to.) At the end of the season when coats go on sale I always buy extras for Coats for Kids for the following season. If I happen to be carrying cash (a rare event) I will donate to the Salvation Army. In addition, with all the new toys that will be finding their way into our home this season (thanks Grandma & Grandpa - nothing too big please!), we find this the perfect time for the girls to go through their things and find items to donate as well.

*This post was inpired by Twittermoms and Robeez - who are not only giving to those in need, but also to mom bloggers. If I happen to be one of the first 50 bloggers to post I will receive a free pair of Robeez. If not, I may be lucky enough to win a Stride Rite GC or the Robeez Spring Collection.

My Most Surprising Gift

I just love twitter moms. As a new blogger, I love that they give me ideas to jumpstart some of my posts. There are days when I could write for hours and other days that I feel like writing, but don't really have any major inspiration. Today, they are giving a $100 target gift card to 10 of their bloggers that post about the most surprising gift they have ever received. So, feeling inspired, here is my post . . .

At the age of 18 I was blessed to meet the most amazing man. We began dating during my first and his second year of college. Throughout our relationship he has constantly surprised me with his thoughtfulness and generosity. The most memorable gift I can remember occurred early in our relationship - in fact, I can't quite remember the occasion. He simply told me that we were going on a trip and that he would do the packing for me. I fell asleep in the car, as I always do for long car rides (at least before I had kiddos) and woke to find myself in Traverse City, MI. I love Traverse City and always have. It has amazing memories from my childhood. We even stayed at the hotel I used to stay at as a child. It was a wonderful surprise that meant so much to me. The detailed planning showed me just how much he cares and what a great listener he actually was.

What are your five tips & tricks for getting your kids to bed on time and getting them to stay in bed?

Twittermoms is back again with another great opportunity to share great information and win prizes in the process. The prize they are giving away is a St Eve cozy. You can also go to http://www.dramau.net/ and try to win one there by submitting a story. Today their question is "How to you get your kids to go to bed and stay there?" I don't know if I've been very lucky or if my tips will work for everyone, but I've never had a problem with getting my little munchkins to go to bed and stay there (not including trying to get them to sleep through the night when they were babies). Here's what we do:

1. Routine - We have a pretty strict bedtime routine. It really doesn't vary at all from night to night. The entire routine takes about 1/2 hour and includes going potty, brushing teeth, bath, pjs, stories, and prayers. We've been doing pretty much the same routine since my oldest was about 9 months old. She's now 5.
2. Mommy/Daddy Time - As the girls have gotten older they spend more time away from home at ballet, preschool, kindergarten, etc. As a result they don't get as much one on one time. We try to make sure each girls gets ample time with one or both of us during the day/evening so that they aren't tempted to want to stay up all night to tell us about their days.
3. Questions - After prayers, before I put the girls to bed for the night I sit with them for a minute and just talk. This is their opportunity to ask me any last minute questions they might have about what happened today or what is likely to happen tomorrow. This seems to put their minds at ease and prevent any late night questions.
4. Midnight Kisses (and water) - The girls always want "one last drink" and "one last kiss" before I put them to bed. Since I don't want them getting up in the middle of the night to go potty I rarely give them water, but always promise to come in and open the door, give them a kiss and leave water on their night stand before I go to bed. Knowing that I'll be back and that they'll have the opportunity for water if they are still thirsty in the middle of the night seems to make them feel better. While I don't think they ever drink the water, I always take it in and give them their promised kisses. In the morning they know that I kept my promise because the door is open and they have their water.
5. My last tip is that we try to do calming things at night before bed. On occasion my husband (the fun one) will get them all fired up with a game of chase, hide-n-seek, or something similar, but for the most part we try to use the evening for stories, board games and basic family time. It really seems to help calm them and ready them for their nighttime routine.