Mel, A Dramatic Mommy

Where I Tell My Son What's What

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:10:00 +0000

I'm in a carpool and and give rides to two of the neighbor girls. Yesterday, I think my son decided he wanted to play it cool and got sassy with me. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's when he's disrespectful to me in front of other people. I have no problem setting him straight even if it means embarrassing him. Witness:

Tyler: "One of the boys in my class told me he's kissed a girl."

[all three] "Eeewwww!"

Girl 1: "Oh yeah, I heard that from [another girl]. She told me he kissed one of his sister's friends."

Me: "What kind of kiss are we talking about? A peck on the cheek?"

Tyler: "I don't know. And mom? Mind your own business."

Oh. No. He. Did. Not!

If I could have slammed on the brakes so I could turn all the way around and look him in the eye, I would have.

Me: "Get this straight, as long as you live at home and you're under the age of 18? Everything is my business. You have no secrets from me. Got it?"

At least he had the sense to look abashed when we pulled into the driveway.

What have you had to set your kids straight about lately?

Coupons for Milk? Yes! | Thrifty Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:36:00 +0000

If your household is like mine, you probably run to the store for milk and bread at least once a week. I know dairy laws differ state to state but I always wondered why there were no coupons for milk since it's something almost every household buys in multiple quantities. Maybe I'm just behind the coupon times, but there are coupons for milk! I found this out during an event Real California Milk held last year.

Example of Real California Dairy coupon

On the Real California Milk site, you can print coupons for milk brands that have the Real California Milk seal. This comes in handy when the store brand has the seal since most store brands are almost always cheaper than name brands. I see this at WalMart and Sprouts Marketplace.

WalMart brand milk carries the Real California Milk seal

Using a coupon, this half gallon goes down to $1.33. The really cool thing is, because the coupon is offered as a PDF, you can download it and print as many as you like* (just be aware of the expiration dates). I have several of these in my coupon binder at all times. It's nice to be able to save on a fridge staple!

What other staple items do you always try to have

coupons on hand for?

*As with all coupons, read the fine print and make sure the coupon is valid in your area. Only use coupons from trusted sources. Do not abuse, alter or use coupons fraudulently!

The Lorax Ticket Giveaway | San Diego Premiere

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:19:00 +0000

This ticket giveaway is for San Diego residents only. * Contest has ended, winner announced.

If you liked Despicable Me, you'll love The Lorax. The same creative team behind Despicable reunited to work their magic and turn Dr. Seuss' iconic book into a 3D-CG feast for the eyes.

The movie is about Ted, his crush on Audrey and how his desire to make her happy leads him to the Once-ler and the story of Truffula Valley and Thneeds.

Danny DeVito is perfect as the voice of The Lorax. Zac Efron is Ted, Taylor Swift is Audrey, Betty White is Ted's grandmother, Ed Helms is the Once-ler and Rob Riggle plays the villain of Thneedville, Mr. O'Hare.

I think they did a great job tuning the book into a feature length film. I also think they used the 3D really well. This a really good film for the whole family. I'll have interviews with the cast coming soon. Find out more about the movie and play games at www.theloraxmovie.com.

Enter through the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win a family four pack of tickets to an advanced screening of DR SEUSS’ THE LORAX on February 25th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Candy Buffet and Truffula Trees| Word{ful} Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:33:00 +0000

Phil has re-arranged his schedule twice so I could attend recent events and I wanted to give him a little thank you gift. His sweet tooth is almost as bad as mine when it comes to certain treats. Well, there was a whole candy buffet of all his favorites in the press lounge for the Lorax.

I made a little goodie bag and left it so he'd find it on his way to work in the morning. I figured he would eat it all in one sitting, and I was right. I told him I could have brought more home for him, but I didn't want to be 'that person' with an assembly line of candy bags in front of me. Then I showed him the picture of the buffet.

He said, "oh man. Next time, please be that person!"

Thanks to Universal Pictures for the invitation to attend the press event!

A Soft Place to Land, Crunch Time | Book Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:18:00 +0000

I haven't done a book review for 2012, but that's not because I haven't been reading. Back in late November, I started (re)reading the Outlander series because it was finally chosen as our book club selection. So I read the first and then couldn't resist continuing on with the next three*. Since the beginning of the year, I've also read A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White and Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson.

I've said before I like books that deal with the relationship between sisters. I'm sure it's because I've always wanted to have a sister. This book follows two sisters from childhood to adulthood as they deal with the after effects of a tragedy. It's not a sad or depressing book, which is good because it really could have been.

Ruthie and Julia are young when their parents die in plane crash (not a spoiler, this is on the back of the book). After their parents' will is read, the girls' lives go in two totally different directions. It sounds weird to say, but one thing I liked about this book is that it wasn't too long or too short. some books zip through the conflict and resolution and others drag it out for way too long.

Crunch Time is the 16th book featuring the murder mystery solving caterer, Goldy. I've been starting to worry that this series is jumping the shark. It's kind of to be expected since it has to be hard writing the same characters year after year and coming up with new situations. I continue to read them because I feel so invested, kind of like the 'number' and 'alphabet' books by Evanovich and Grafton, respectively.

I wanted to like this book more. I didn't dislike it, but I was hoping there might be a new spark to the series. It did end in a way that future books could make me enjoy the series the same way I did in its beginning. Let's hope. If you need some 'I don't want to think about what I'm reading' fluff, this is a series for you.

I started Dreams of Joy by Lisa See right after Crunch Time. Night Circus is next for book club so look for reviews of both soon.

What's on your bookshelf?

You can talk books with me on Pinterest and Goodreads.

*My love for this series is almost fanatical. This was my ninth (maybe tenth) reading of Outlander. When we met to discuss the book, many members didn't enjoy it. My talking about the other books in the series swayed some to keep going.

There are affiliate links in this post.

More Interviews with the Big Miracle Cast | Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristin Bell

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:20:00 +0000

There were so many good moments during our interviews with the Big Miracle cast. We laughed a lot and the atmosphere was relaxed and casual. We were told many times that our panel room was "the room" to be in. Kristin Bell was in the middle of answering a question but interrupted herself to say "can I just say how lovely the energy is in here, because I do a lot of these things, and sometimes I'm secretly slitting my wrists underneath the table. And this is just such a lovely group of estrogen, that it's really refreshing."

It was nice to hear, especially since I almost ran Kristin over as she was coming out of the elevator and I was going in. I was just about to reach out and grab her arms to make sure she didn't fall when I realized who she was. My hands were left mid-air and it was awkward. Then, to make the situation worse, I called her sweetie when I apologized.

Getting to talk with the cast is good for people like me who behind the scenes kind of people. One of the things I liked hearing from the actors was what they did to prepare for their roles. Kristin's dad worked in broadcasting as a news director. I asked if his background helped her get ready to portray journalist Jill Jerard. "Without question," she said. "That was one of the reasons, in my first meeting with Ken Kwapis, that I said wanted to do this, because I grew up playing with a teleprompter and knowing the local celebrities who were the news anchors. But, it felt very at home playing a journalist, I guess, because I have gone to work with him so many times."

Since the events took place in the late 1980's, I couldn't help but compare how different the national media coverage of saving the whales would be today compared with back then. During the session with John and Drew, John, who played Adam Carlson, said something that segued very nicely into one of the questions I wanted to ask.

"I personally believe that the time to believe in speaking up and having a voice and what can I do to help and all that is now. One Tweet, one Facebook page, one anything can start an entire movement for your favorite charity. You can get a pothole filled on Main Street. You can do whatever you want. Or, you can go all the way and start a revolution and be out in the streets of New York and start a national campaign, you know?"

So I asked, if this story were to happen today, in terms of social media what do they think their characters might have done differently? John made us all laugh with "there's an app to save whales."

Drew spent a lot of time with Cindy Lowry, the woman she portrayed as Rachel Kramer. She answered my question with, "I would need to ask her [Cindy] that because that's not something we discussed, how would you respond to social media. I know she's not like, tech savvy. But, she loved having a voice, and she really did pull out a bullhorn in the middle of an auction to sell off the Bristol Bay Auction. So, she really was that person. And she's a bit of a bull in a china shop in that way. And I think people who don't know what the boundaries are and sort of do whatever they need to do to get their point across probably would love a social media platform."

As a military wife, I would be remiss if I didn't say a little about Bonnie Carroll played by Vinessa Shaw. There's a love story in Big Miracle between Vinessa and Dermott. It's not a big part of the movie, but it's a huge part of Bonnie's life and it was so amazing to hear.

The way the events happened in the movie are not too far off from real life. Bonnie and Tom met, fell in love and agreed to marry over the phone.

Vinessa Shaw and Bonnie Carroll

"The phone call, the first time we talked, President Reagan had asked me to [make a call]. He was so cute. He said, 'Bonnie, since you're in the National Guard, call someone you know. Don't call the Pentagon.'

"And so, I called someone I knew in the Guard who called someone who called someone who called someone, and ultimately, they got up to Barrow, Alaska. And I was still at my desk working, not waiting for a phone call, just at my desk working at two in the morning when the phone rang. And that was the first time that he [Tom] called.

And we talked for a few minutes about the whale rescue and how things are going, and it just took my breath away. And we just stopped, and I just wondered, “Where have you been?”

And we knew each other. I can't explain it. Literally, we were together from that moment, inseparable, absolutely together. And we were together right up until the morning that I saw him off on that flight. And he didn't come back. It's one in a million, but it really, really, really, really happened that way. We agreed to be married before we ever met in person."

I knew about Tom's death from researching the characters before I saw the movie. Bonnie started TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) after Tom died. There is more about the two of them and their lives together on the TAPS site. It really is amazing to read about.

As I said in my earlier post, I really enjoyed this film. It's a good family movie, though younger kids may not be able to understand everything. If you homeschool, there are a ton of things to talk about: whales and migration, The Cold War, Alaska and the Inupiat tribe, technology today versus the 1980's and how different media coverage is today. Big Miracle opens this weekend!

Watch and share the Big Miracle trailer on Facebook and Universal Pictures will donate $1 to Oceana. Thank you again to Universal for inviting me to participate!

Interview With Big Miracle Director Ken Kwapis

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:08:00 +0000

Last weekend I spent a wonderful few days in Santa Monica for the press tour of the new movie, Big Miracle starring Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristin Bell, Ted Danson, Dermot Mulroney and Vinessa Shaw. Even though the film is based on real events that took place in the late 1980's, I don't remember any of the news stories catching my attention at the time.

The story takes place over two weeks in Barrow, Alaska. Three California grey whales were late in their migration and got trapped when temperatures dropped faster than normal and the ice froze very quickly. An Alaskan reporter, played by Krasinski, taped video of the whales breaching in a small hole in the ice and the footage ended up on Tom Brokaw's national evening newscast. Soon, saving the three whales went beyond the locals of Barrow and became a matter for the US and Russian military, the White House, Greenpeace and a large oil company.

Mom Blogger Big Miracle interview panel

I'll admit, I was expecting Big Miracle to have a high cheese factor. Sometimes, true events that get converted to the big screen are more exaggeration than real (like The Blind Side). But thankfully that wasn't the case here. There are so many different elements to the movie, it could have been easy to get lost in all the story arcs but Director Ken Kwapis pulled them all together really well.

"A lot of people want to know what it's like as a director working on a film that has so many characters on it," Ken Kwapis said. "In addition to so many characters, there's so many sort of story strands. For instance, there's a geopolitical aspect. It's sort of a tale of the end of the Cold War. There's, what it's like to live in Alaska. It's a young boy's coming of age story. There's a kind of not quite romantic triangle in the middle of it. And all these things kind of hover around a rescue adventure."

Watching the movie and knowing what we're seeing on the screen happened, it's hard to tell what parts are for show and what was real. To me, that's a sign the movie is doing its job of pulling the viewers in.

The director admits one of the more emotional scenes in the movie was invented but adds that, "...by and large, the most unbelievable events in the film did actually happen. People did carve a path of holes for five miles. I have no clue how they did it. There was an actual event in which a search and rescue chopper pilot brought a flammable generator across the ice, and it was so cold because they had to open the doors that his eye did freeze shut, yes. That actually happened."

Other than the actors, the real stars of Big Miracle were the whales. It was refreshing to see a movie that could have gone heavily CGI choose to use animatronics instead. Fred, Wilma and Bamm Bamm really do look like live whales. All of the actors were able to forget they weren't and lose themselves in the scenes with the whales.

"Yes, the animatronic whales were really unbelievable," John Krasinski said. "They were so well done. These guys from Australia built them and engineered them and then were working them. And it was kind of insane because you really did not believe that they were robots. It was very overwhelming to see one of these things pop out. And while you were acting, to have these things continuously coming out of the water was phenomenal."

Kristin Bell even joked that, "they were more real than some actors I know. Not in this movie, but they were so well made from their scarring to their barnacles. From action to cut, you genuinely felt connected, as if they were animals."

I really liked this movie and hope to read the book it was based on, Freeing the Whales, soon. I know my son will enjoy the movie too. More interview snippets to come!

Click here to watch the trailers for Big Miracle. The movie opens Friday, February 3rd. Follow #BigMiracle on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you to Universal Pictures for including me on the press tour! (Universal provided accommodations, meals, access to the actors and director and entertainment)

Rachel Ray Magazine | Cheap Subscription Alert

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:24:00 +0000

This deal was too good not to post. Tanga has an offer for a one-year subscription to Every Day with Rachel Ray magazine for $4.99 with code FOOD. Mine just ran out so the timing is perfect. I really enjoy this title. It's one I seem to copy recipes out of quite frequently. The September issue had a whole month of make ahead meals. I hope they start to include more columns like that, especially articles along the lines of 'what to make when chicken breasts are on sale.'

Meredith Corp. just bought Rachel Ray and I wouldn't be surprised if free digital subscriptions become a perk of being a print subscriber. They already offer that benefit for BH&G, Parents and Fitness. There are so many things publishers can do with a digital subscription, especially ones for titles that are product heavy in the editorial.

I see (hopefully) using this on my iPad for cooking demos and clips to Rachel's shows. The 'click to buy' options for her cookware, cookbooks and other items featured in the magazine plus a 'click to donate' option for her Yum-O foundation make it seem like a no brainer for the publisher to convert the magazine to digital. At least, that's my opinion. Fingers crossed that I'm right!

Fine print: Deal is only good for today 1/26. Please allow 8-14 weeks for your first issue to arrive. This magazine has 11 issues per subscription and you can buy up to a 4-year subscription. *affiliate link used

Santa Monica Sunset | Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Casa del Mar Hotel, Santa Monica

Braces Suck, But Not for Much Longer!

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:08:00 +0000

You see that light at the end of that tunnel over there? That's the deadline for getting my braces off. I've been dreaming about getting these torture devices off for months now. To say it's been a painful experience would be putting it mildly. Having braces as an adults bites the big one, pun intended.

Still, I know it will be more than worth it. No one should hate the way they look in photos or 'smile small' because they're embarrassed of their teeth. To keep me occupied while I wait for the big day, I've been compiling a mental list of all the things I want to eat once my teeth are unshackled. In no particular order they are:

1. Steak
2. Ribs
3. Hamburger*
4. Burrito*
5. Pizza*
6. Apples
7. Carrots
8. Broccoli and cauliflower that hasn't been boiled to death
9. Popcorn
10. Red Vines
11. Taffy
12. Some nut covered candybar like a Payday
13. Tacos in a hard shell
14. Gum (every day!)
15. Honey braid and peanut butter pretzels
16. Crusty bread
17. Salad
18.Cereal with really crunchy bits

I'm getting excited and drooling just thinking about all the food! Those of you who have had braces, what was your first post Metal Mouth Meal?

*I've eaten those plenty of times, but not the way they're meant to be eaten: sloppy and dripping from my two hands. Even the best burger loses it's luster when you have to cut it with a knife and fork.

Slashing Our Grocery Budget | Frugal Friday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:23:00 +0000

My husband has given me a challenge: slash our monthly grocery budget by $40-$50. We're behind in meeting our financial goals so it's crunch time. We're trimming wherever we can and grocery shopping is my domain. I'm definitely up for the challenge and I've been doing my research.

I'm ready to try meal planning, I've signed up for every grocery loyalty program for the stores I shop in, I've organized my Google Reader so that the frugal blogs I read most are at the top, we got rid of our ink sucking printer (more on that later) and my coupon binder is finally complete. The only thing that's going to suck is how much time I'll be spending in the stores.

I got a start on re-building our stockpile a few days ago. We needed cereal and the deal at Vons was great. But, with the way so many So Cal stores have changed their coupon policies, I can't walk in and use all the coupons I have in one transaction. In most stores, I can only use 4 at a time, only one will double and sometime there's a specific dollar amount I need to purchase. All the rules will mean more trips to the stores. Case in point, the cereal.

This is three trips to two different Vons stores* plus Target for the coffee creamer (the meat was a happy accident). The in store coupon only for the cereal only allowed me to buy 4 boxes at a time. Between the paper and e-coupons I had 10 to use. Fortunately, I live in an area where almost all the stores I shop in are close enough that I can combine errands.

But, I think that, in order to make the absolute most of my coupons, I'm going to have to commit to scheduling more trips to the stores. Which means staying organized and getting my hand on more coupons so I can take advantage of more deals. If I'm going to go to a store three times, I might as well get all of the deals**! It seems I'm closer to becoming an 'extreme' couponer than I thought.

So, let me ask you: how willing are you to run multiple errands to take advantage of a great grocery deal? What types of deals do you consider too good to pass up?

*Pictured: 16 boxes of cereal, six creamers and 6 packages of ground beef.
*I don't buy things we don't eat or don't have room for just because they're on sale. You will not find pallets of soda in my garage.

Magazine Subscriptions on the iPad | Things iLove Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:58:00 +0000

I've already written about reading books on the iPad so I thought I should talk about magazines as well. I LOVE reading magazines digitally. I currently have Cosmo, Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, All You, Wired and Martha Stewart Living. With the exception of Cosmo, I am a print subscriber to those titles, too.

Publishers are putting really awesome touches to their digital editions. Elements on some of the pages move (snow falls, lighbulbs glow for example), music plays, you can watch video tutorials, listen to interviews and lots of the ads are interactive. The video below is from Wired's site. It shows the process of putting a digital issue together and some of the features of the app. My inner nerd loves behind the scenes stuff like this.

All of the digital magazines I have were free with my print subscription except Cosmo, which was a free deal I found on a blog. My Wired print subscription only cost $10 for the year and my Martha Stewart print was a freebie I found online too. Free magazine deals pop up all the time online.

As more and more companies offer the digital bundled with the print, you could be able to score some really great deals that will give you access to both if you keep your eyes open. If you have an iPad but someone you know does not, split the subscription cost. My mom has been wanting to subscribe to All You and I only have one issue left. Perfect timing.

Do I need both a print and digital copy? Not really. But, I usually leave a few magazines in my car for waiting in the car pool line, my ortho appointments or Tyler's hockey practice. I don't always take my iPad with me. I can read the digital copy in bed without needing a reading light and without the page turning keeping Phil awake. So far, I have had few problems with the apps crashing. The issues download quickly and the features are easy to use.

Now, I'm more inclined to buy a print subscription if I know I'll have digital access for free. I'm hoping to renew Real Simple for just this reason. I do think there's a market for print and I hope the industry sees the wisdom in offering both formats to consumers. I see the future of digital copies being that we'll be able to share articles over different platforms.

Here's a list of magazines that offer a free digital subscription with a paid print:

InStyle, Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, Wired, Martha Stewart, People, Time, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Fitness, Business Week, Fortune, All You, Health, Southern Living, Cooking Light, Sports Illustrated Kids, Essence

For those with an iPad are you reading magazines on it? Do you like it? If you don't have a tablet, do you see yourself using this feature?

Find out what other bloggers are loving this Thursday with Jill over at Diaper Diaries.

Our Son Got To Meet His Favorite Author: DJ MacHale

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:07:00 +0000

This definitely falls under First World problems. Lately, we have to stay on Tyler about reading too much. Not the quantity, more like how late he stays up at night to do it. This kid is flying through books. Most recently, he fell in love with the Pendragon series by DJ MacHale. Combined, the 10-book series has just over 4500 pages. He read them all in about 2 1/2 months.

To say we are incredibly proud is an understatement. But. Our son floats through life as though time doesn't pertain to him (is that true for most kids?). We tell him it's time to go to bed, and that he can read until his bedtime, which is 9:00. If we don't follow up, he'll keep on reading. I admit, we've started watching a movie and forgot all about him until we go to bed ourselves.

Since this is one of the only problems we have with Tyler, we usually let it slide. He's a good kid, and reading until 11:30 on a school night is no big deal in the grand scheme of things. So, a few weeks ago when I saw a posting on MacHale's website that he would be signing books locally, I decided to surprise Tyler and take him to the book store.

When we got there, he saw the poster outside with MacHale's photo promoting his newest book.

"Hey, that's the guy who wrote the books I'm reading."

"I know. He's inside. We're going to buy that new book and he'll sign it for you."

Tyler's eyes got so big. "I get to meet him?"

"Yep. You can ask questions, too."

We bought the book and waited for the author to come out. He was so nice to all the kids. He asked them questions, posed for pictures and hinted at new projects he's working on. Tyler was in heaven.

We couldn't stay long because we were on the way to hockey practice, but Tyler was in heaven. He was one of the youngest kids there something MacHale pointed out after he asked Tyler his age. He assumed Tyler was in 6th grade and was surprised that he'd only recently turned 9. We could tell Tyler was proud of himself when MacHale said Tyler was one of the youngest readers (of his works) that he'd met.

Tyler and his favorite author

I really hope we get to do something like this again. We definitely don't have a problem getting Tyler to read, but having him meet the people behind the words he reads I know will make a really lasting impression and reinforce that reading is fun.

Have your kids been able to meet any of their idols?

Arguing on Christmas Eve

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:29:00 +0000

I spent part of my Christmas Eve arguing with my mom and Gramma. My mom got a gift that she ended up not wanting. Someone re-gifted to her some cheese, meat and chocolates. I'm not sure what she thought she was getting but they told her it was a gift basket and she took it. When she got it home and opened the box, well, she was less than impressed.

She tried to pass it off to me and I declined. The two of them were discussing whether there were any parties they could take the food to when I said, "why don't we give it to a homeless person?" They both agreed it was an excellent idea. "Great, I'll get a zipper bag to put it all in."

They looked at me as though I'd sprouted another arm.

"You can't do that."

"That's tacky.

"You can't give someone a gift in a zipper bag."

"But. They're homeless."

"So? That doesn't matter.

"It's Christmas."

"OK. So, how am I supposed to hand someone this giant box through the car window?" And how are they going to carry the box around?"

That stumped them a bit. We went around some more with me still in favor of simplicity and they in favor of gift wrapping.

Coffee mug added for scale

"Are you really arguing with me on how we're going to give a homeless person something neither of you want?"

"Well, when you put it that way..."

We finally settled on putting all of the food in zipper bags and then using one of the gift bags Mom had in her stash (also something she didn't want).

We put the gift bag in the car and headed out for last minute shopping at Target. On the way there, all the homeless people we saw were on the opposite side of the street. But, when we were leaving, there was a man standing right in the median.

I started to hand the bag to my mom and she shook her head slightly.

"No, not him."

"Why not? He's not homeless enough for you?"

I couldn't believe we were going to end up bringing the food back home after all the fuss. But, mom remembered she needed something for a recipe and while I ran into the grocery store, she and Gramma drove across to the other parking lot and found someone who met their (obviously) very strict Homelessness Guidelines and gave the food to him.

Next time, I think I'll just take the re-gift and handle things my way.

Don't Tell Grammy

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:23:00 +0000

Tyler is spending a week at my mom's house again this year. We were talking about it before he left and he could tell by my voice that I was sad.

"Why are you sad?"

"Because I'll miss you."

"We can always Skype."

(laughing) "You know what, you're right. Remind me to fix the Skype and Facetime on Grammy's phone while we're up there."

"I'll have to help her. You know she's not good with technology. Oh! But, don't tell her I said that!"

My Husband plus Extra Plywood Equals | Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:40:00 +0000

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire | Happy Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:59:00 +0000

Scene: Mother is seated on the couch in the living room reading a book. Father and Son are downstairs on the computer. Mother can hear their conversation.

Son: Dad, how old are you going to be tomorrow?

Father: I'll be 34.

Mother hears this and goes into the kitchen, pulling the fire extinguisher from underneath the cabinet. She hurries downstairs and runs into the office.

Father: What are you doing?

Mother: Here, I thought you might need this.

Father: [taking the extinguisher] Why?

Mother: To put out your pant legs.

[Father looks confused]

Father: What are you talking about?

Mother: I figured your pants were going to combust over that whopper you just told our son about your age.

[Father, still slow on the uptake, continues to look confused]

Mother: Didn't you just tell our son you're turning 34?

Father: [laughing because he's finally caught on] Actually, I told him I'm going to be 24.

Mother: That's even worse! I got here just in time.

Happy Birthday, honey. I love you!

Shopping Apps for Saving Money | Frugal Friday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:57:00 +0000

I am so unprepared for Christmas! I have no idea what we're going to get for everyone. I originally thought of photo books, but I don't think I have enough really good pictures from this past year to build one. So, I'm heading out today to wander Target, TJ Maxx and my other favorite stores.

I put a new app on my phone today to test while I'm at Target. Amazon launched their PriceCheck app in hopes of cashing in on shoppers looking for last minute deals.

How it works: when you see an item you'd like to buy; scan it, take a picture, speak the name or type the item name into the app and enter the price listed at the store. Other prices will come up to let you see whether you're getting the best deal. If you put the item in your Amazon shopping cart and end up buying it within 24 hours, you'll get a discount.

I like the idea of this. It's always nice to know if an item is cheaper at another store. But, unless you're an Amazon Prime member, there's still shipping costs to deal with. I'll scan a few items and update with how I like the app.

Other shopping apps I use to help save money:
Michaels (offers digital coupons)
Card Star (to organize all my store cards)
Target (digital coupons)
Shop Kick (digital coupons)

Am I missing any other good money saving apps?

Bike Helmet Organization with Command Hooks | Works for Me Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:59:00 +0000

Necessity is the mother of all invention. I will add: mother's tired of tripping over their children's crap come up with the best solutions.

Somehow, we ended up with three bike helmets for Tyler. That's three helmets that get tossed on the garage floor and left outside our neighbor's houses. Plus, Tyler can never find one when he needs it.

My solution came to me when I was going through my coupon binder. I'd been planning to buy another Command hook to display a wreath and the proverbial light bulb went on. I bought one package of two hooks. Each holds up to three pounds.

Now, in theory, Tyler has no excuses.

What's working for you today?

Hey, Jealousy

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:16:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, a friend tweeted she was about to head to Spain. I tweeted back that Spain is on my top list of places to see and that I was jealous. That got me thinking about the word jealousy. Me being the dork that I am, I looked it up.

By definition, jealousy isn't something I usually feel. Frankly, I think it's a wasted emotion. But it's become so common, and one of those words people say automatically.

I think what we really mean is that we are envious. There really isn't anything I need to be jealous of anyone else for. I like who I am. I like my life. Sure, there are things someone else may have that I want. But, they're just things.

I certainly don't want to be anyone else. That would be a huge disservice to everyone I know and love because they're part of the life I have now and help make me the person I am.

If you're going to feel something, jealousy shouldn't be it. Happy. Sad. Glad. Mad. Euphoric. Heartbroken. Furious. Envious (even though it's one of the Deadly Sins). Feel anything but never jealousy. It get's you nowhere.

From now on, I'm making a conscious effort not to confuse the two words. It will probably sound strange and antiquated for me to reply, "how I envy you," instead of "OMG I'm so jealous!" but it will definitely be more me and more true.

What are you making a conscious effort to do these days?

*10 points if you get the reference of the post title.

Military Life is NOT a Video Game

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:15:00 +0000

It's the Soldier, not the reporter who has given us the

Freedom of the Press.

It's the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us the

Freedom of Speech.

It's the Soldier, not the politicians who ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

It's the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.

It seemed disrespectful for me to post this on Veteran's Day because I'm about to violate one of the rules of parenting. I'm going to get on my high horse and judge.

Last week, Phil went into Tyler's class to talk about being in the military. He went in uniform, which because of what he does, is more Marine Corps than Navy. The kids had lots of questions, the first of which was "have you ever killed anyone?*"

I understand. My dad used to get the same question from my classmates when he'd come for Career Day to talk about being in the Secret Service. There's a fascination with military, police etc.; especially for boys. But the questions that came after were the ones that really disappointed me. They wanted to know how he made it through war (he was deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom), what types of weapons and rounds he uses, if he'd ever set off a grenade and if he uses Nova Gas.

Tyler's teacher was sitting next to me and whispered, "where are they coming up with this stuff?!" Just as I replied, "video games," two of the kids said something about Call of Duty 3 and Halo. Parents, your fourth graders should not be playing that game (or any first person shooter). They should not have the idea that being in the military is akin to running blindly through the streets, lobbing bombs and using a gas that doesn't exist.

The teacher and I had to steer the conversation so that Phil could give them real information about the role of the military and what the experience has been like for him. I piped up and told Phil to address real life versus video games and couldn't help but add that Call of Duty isn't for kids.

I'm glad Phil went in to talk to the class. Hopefully, some of those kids will remember what Phil talked about, especially how being in the military has helped him with his civilian job and that he joined as a way to honor his grandfather, who was in the 101st Airborne.

Video games are not a teaching tool. Video games rated M (meaning 'mature') are not appropriate for 9 and 10 year olds. Period. You letting your young child play games like that means they see my husband in uniform and equate him with a killing machine.

They don't see the training, education and schooling. They don't see that Phil is in charge of planning yearly budgets for his entire unit. They don't see the respect he and his fellow navy members give one another. They have no idea that being in the military is a JOB. And that? Is just plain sad.

*When Phil responded that no, he hasn't killed anyone, the boy asked, "why not?"

Nine

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:16:00 +0000

Hi Kiddo-
When you were only a few weeks old, your dad asked Grammy, "is this all he's going to do? Just lie there?" Grammy loves to re-tell that story. She laughs and laughs. Her answer was something along the lines of, "you wait, one day you'll be wishing he would just lie there." She was right. You took your first steps when you were 9 1/2 months old and you haven't stopped going since. Your dad and I can't always keep up, but we're having fun trying. Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mom and Dad

The Time I Almost Swallowed A Bumble Bee

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:12:00 +0000

One of the routes I walk regularly for my training is through a new neighborhood with a lot of landscaping. A few of the blocks have lots of flowers and there are usually bees all over the bushes. Last week the bees reminded me of the time one flew in my mouth.

Back in junior high, my school went on a field trip to Magic Mountain. We had just arrived and were heading through the gates. I turned around to say something to one of my friends and the bee flew right in. It couldn't have been timed more perfectly. If I had turned around one second earlier, the bee probably would have flown around me. One second later and it might have gotten tangled in my hair.

Anyway, this was not a worker bee. I had a bumble bee in my mouth. It couldn't have been in there for more than two seconds, but talk about panic!

Oh my god! That's a bee!

In my mouth!

I can feel the legs!

I can feel the wings!

It's fuzzy!

I didn't know what to do. Should I open my mouth and hope it flies back out? What if goes down my throat? What if I swallow it? Will I get stung in my esophagus? Am I allergic to bees? What if my tongue swells up?

I didn't want to push the bee out with my tongue or try to cough it out. I started to freak out and it flew back out. I tell you, no ride I went on that day was as terrifying as those two seconds of having a disoriented bumble bee in my mouth.

My friends asked what was going on because I was dancing around with my tongue out and I was wiping it and spitting in case there was a wayward wing or leg still in there. It was a horrid experience. I've got chicken skin remembering it.

Now it's your turn. Has anything accidentally ended up into your mouth?

(That sounded way more dirty than I intended it to!)

Spa Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Last Thursday night I went to the spa. It was heavenly. I got to meet new bloggers, had mini treatments and gorged myself on lemon bars. It was a great way to celebrate making my goal for the 3 day! I got the email late Wednesday night.

I was really hoping I could head into the month of November not having to think about raising money anymore and now I can. I got rubbed and scrubbed in complete bliss because I was able to put this part of the 3 day experience out of mind.

My neighbors have been so helpful with my fund raising. I posted a flier asking them to save their recycling for me rather than putting it out on trash day. I made over $50 from taking it in. This will definitely be part of my strategy for next year.

Once again, I owe my mom a huge thank you. I appreciate everyone who donated to the walk but my mom goes above and beyond by asking her network of friends and co-workers to donate to me once she's met her goal.

For me, raising the money each year has been the most challenging part of the 3 day. It takes a lot of hustle to get the funds in on time. Getting the email letting you know you've made it is such a fantastic feeling.

There are still so many people who have yet to make their goals. If you see a Tweet, post, email or Facebook update asking for donations, please consider giving. People look at my donation page and see $200 donations and think their $5 or $10 won't make a difference. IT DOES. Every wave started as a ripple.

Thank you again for all your support!

Thank you to the Hilton Mission Bay and Blue Marble Spa for providing the treatments. It was such a relaxing evening!

Think vs Do

noreply@blogger.com (MelADramatic Mommy) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:50:00 +0000

Is it better to be a think-er or a do-er? Does it matter?

You know what I have a ton of? Ideas. I have scraps of paper, sticky notes, notebooks and (now that I have a smart phone) voice memos full of ideas.

I'll get a random thought in my head and if I don't write it down immediately, *poof* it's gone.

I have filled pages with titles like Blog Post Topics, Blog Makeover, Rebranding Ideas, 3 Day Post Ideas, Ad Partnerships and Client Projects. I really like the process of brainstorming, be it to solve a problem or start something from the ground up.

What I'm not so good at, is taking those ideas and turning them into actions. I read some where the line that "if you don't act on your ideas someone else will." This is true. My mom was pushing our late dog around in a stroller long before they became trendy. She swears she could have been millionaire. I've had an idea for an app in my head for ages but haven't done anything about it because I have no clue where to start.

Maybe I have issues with this because the "doing" part is usually the hardest. I'm not afraid of hard work, but the "doing" is usually not as fun, too. I like the creative process and I have no problem collaborating and sharing. Just last night on a training walk, I told a woman with a great fund raising craft several different ways she can get the word out and sell more of her items. She didn't know some of what I suggested was even possible.

I love that I was able to expose her to new things. She could possibly surpass her fund raising goal because of my suggestions. I walked away feeling really good. I wonder tough, would someone who is a do-er have taken it even a few steps further? What would those steps be? And to what benefit?

Are you a thinker or a do-er? Does a person have to be both? Is there a way to become both if you're only one?