The Daily Grind of a Work @ Home Mom...

Staples: A "Staple" for Your Business & Tech Needs.

I own a home business.  That said, I'm always needing something or other since there's no one to outfit the "supply closet" (ahem) other than me.  So it's no surprise that I have the nearest Staples address stored in my GPS.

I shop at Staples for the following reasons:

1. It has literally everything I need to run my business, from the little (hard-to-find) desk-calendar that I like, to the heavy stock printer paper I use, to the snacks I need to keep me fortified throughout the day. ;)
2. It's close to home.  And as the world's largest office supply retail store, it's likely that there's one close to your home too.
3. They offer UPS shipping services, which is my shipper of choice. 
4. It has reasonable prices and a selection that covers pretty much all kinds of quality, from inexpensive to awesomely fancy.

While Staples is known for its fabulous array of office supplies, many folks don't realize that the mega-retailer also specializes in electronics and technology.  My family purchased a digital camera at Staples a few years ago.  (And extra memory for it, of course.)  If you are a camcorder freak like I am, you'll love their offering of mini-recorders.  If you're not sure which one to choose, visit the Staples website and select the ones that interest you, and you will see a detailed side-by-side-comparison and your choices (COOL!).  Of course, visiting the store guarantees that one of their well-trained staff will help guide you as well.

Recently, I attended an event and walked away the proud winner of a Staples $100 gift card and an 
HP Photosmart Premium Printer.  (I know - cool, right???!!!)  While this is not a review for the printer, let me just say how much I absolutely LOVE my new HP.  I actually replaced an HP All-in-one Officejet (more expensive) but was woo'd by the fantastic photo printing feature which delivers photo-lab quality photos.  It doesn't have a fax, but my sacrifice was well worth it.  I've spent hours making photo calendars, cards, and printing pictures already.  Besides, I'm thinking the scan and email can replace the fax for the rare times I need it.

Sounds good, right?  Well, Staples is offering all you readers the chance to win a $100 gift card to their stores.  You can put it toward a new photo printer or digital camera!  A few steps to entering this one:

1. Simply comment below and let us know what you would buy.   
2. Follow @StaplesTweets.
3. Re-tweet (or cut & paste): Win a $100 Staples gift card from @alexcaseybaby! http://tinyurl.com/y9rcz5sThx @StaplesTweets! #staples100 

This contest will run until Friday, November 6th at midnight.  Only one entry per person please!

So this is somewhat off topic but...

I just found out Eric Dane has a "sex tape."  In case you've been living under a rock, Eric Dane is Grey's Anatomy's McSteamy and one seriously hot piece of guy.  He is hot in the way that he oozes sex and you just want to meet him somewhere dirty and get naked and then return him to his rightful owner.  Not like McDreamy, who you might just want to cuddle with after. 

Look:

 

YUM.

So, I know I'm late to the game, but I just heard about this so-called "sex tape" so in my spare time (ha), I googled Eric Dane Sex Tape.  What I found was basically an intimate evening at home with hot-man himself, his cute wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and some no-name former beauty queen.  They get high, hang out in a tub not big enough for three, and chat.  While naked.  No sex.  Boobs and wieners, but no sex.

So now that I watched my #1 man (k, #2, after all I am married) strut around with his wanker hanging out, with no hot scrubs or lab coat to make me wonder what's hiding under there, I feel like I've just unwrapped a gift I *really* wanted, just to find out I may not have wanted it so much after all.

I guess there's something about mystery that is intoxicating but once mystery is exposed to the cruel light of day, eh... Whatever...

PS...  It's entirely possible that this post contains material inappropriate for a married woman & mom, but hey, a girl's gotta live!! 

To Vaccinate, or Not to Vaccinate, That is the Question.

So everywhere you turn there is information being thrown at us regarding the H1N1 Flu and the vaccine.  And at every turn is a parent asking, "are you vaccinating?"

We did.  On Monday, both my kids opened their nostrils real wide to accept the H1N1 vaccine.  And while this was ultimately my decision, it was not a decision I came to lightly.

I am not a person who buys into media hype.  I n fact, as the public becomes increasingly panicked about any particular media-induced issue, I tend to become more cynical.  Maybe it's the journalist in me, but I don't trust "frenzy."

Bu I do trust facts from people in the know.

I asked doctors their opinion.  And I asked more doctors.  Then, just to be sure, I asked again.  Every single solitary doctor I asked- from an Internist to a GI specialist to an ER doctor and a Pediatrician - every last one of them not only assured me the H1N1 vaccine is safe, but urged me to vaccinate my children. 

Every last one of them.

They told me that the H1N1 vaccine is prepared no differently than any other flu shot I've given my children and that the hype over the pandemic is what separates it from the regular flu.  As a matter of fact, the H1N1 strain of flu has been included in your regular seasonal flu vaccine each year since 1977, but since this is a new strain, a separate vaccine is being administered.

And yes, people in the high risk groups should get both the H1N1 vaccine as well as the flu shot.  While my instinct was not to administer both the vaccines simultaneously, many doctors do (if they have it - there's a supply and demand issue with both vaccines right now). 

I was reluctant to accept a "new" vaccine for my kids.  But after doing the research, asking health care professionals, finding out how the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine are similar and different, my reluctance was to wait to vaccinate.  And now that I have, I feel like my children are protected from what I understand to be a horrible, complicated illness.

No matter what you decide is best for your family, there are ways to protect against getting sick - make sure your family washes their hands constantly.  We've been going through that anti-bacterial stuff like crazy around here.  At the very least, you'll be teaching your kids good hygiene, right?

Did Someone Say Cupcakes?

It was my younger daughter's birthday this weekend and because I didn't throw her an all-out extravaganza (for reasons that are too many too mention), I thought I would make up for it with home-baked treats.  And I think I hit the mark - I made Magnolia cupcakes, Yo Gabba Gabba-style.  Check them out:

 They were fun to make (just ask my 3-year-old), delicious, and nice to look at.  Though I had no means of direct comparison, I thought they tasted pretty close to what I remember Magnolia cupcakes tasting like.  Try them for yourself - here is the recipe:

CUPCAKES

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream. 

Icing

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I followed these directions perfectly and they were delicious.  I'd love to know how yours come out!
 

Cook Up Some Fun with Lollipop Rascals' Baking Sets!

 

We love to cook in our house.  Or I should say, I have passed down my love for cooking to my oldest daughter, who offers help to Mom for anything kitchen-related.  This includes stirring my morning coffee, shaking the salad dressing, and even pouring her own milk.  So the prospect of baking her very own cookies from start to finish excited her to no end, and well, even Mom took pride in her enthusiasm for anything culinary-related.

The baking kit came to us courtesy of Lollipop Rascals, a wonderful web-store which offers the highest quality in educational toys and gifts.  And by educational, I don't mean flash cards and numbers games.  I'm talking fabulous book sets (It's Me! is one of our favorite nighttime reads), award-winning puzzles, themed-based toys and accessories, and excellent costumes. 

But we really liked the baking set. 

In fact, we are in favor of all things cooking and baking-related so the fact that Lollipop Rascals features an entire Rascal Chefs section is more than just a little bit awesome.  Introduce your child to baking in a gentle, fun way, while still producing a delicious finished product with any one of these baking kits.  Have a budding paleontologist?  Check out the Green Dinosaur Cookie Kit.  Have a princess on your hands?  Then the Fairy Princess Cookie Kit is for her.  There's so many ways to incorporate cooking into your child's life, and Lollipop Rascals will give you many insightful ideas.  Also, many of the baking kits are now up to 45% off - so there's really no risk!

In honor of Halloween, we are happy to give away a set of Witch Pop Up Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Cookies (beware - these are DELICIOUS!!), and Paint-Your-Own Ghost Cookies to one lucky reader.  Simply visit Lollipop Rascals, and tell us what you like best about their site.  Contest will run through Wednesday, October 28th at midnight.  Open to US residents only.

All products reviewed were provide to me at no cost by Lollipop Rascals.  All views and opinions reflected on this blog are my own and were in no way influenced by any outside party.

You can take the girl out of Canada...

Hubby and I went to a wedding this weekend.  It was that of a co-worker at his office, and it was about 30 miles from home, in the town of Westford, Ma.  The ceremony was at 2pm, the reception at 4.  Between getting out of the church and driving to the inn where the reception was being held, we'd have about an hour, maybe more, to spare.  We didn't know how we'd spend that time, but friends of my husband's took care of it.

They set up a tailgate party in the parking lot at the inn.

Yup, you read it here -  A tailgate.  At a wedding.  In a parking lot at an inn. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the phenomenon commonly referred to as a tailgate party, Wikipedia defines it:

In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on or around the open tailgate of a vehicle.  Tailgating often involves consuming beverages and grilling food.  Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas before and occasionally after or during sporting events and rock concerts.

There were beverages being consumed (ever hear of a strawpedo?  Neither had I).  There was food (deli sandwiches, chips, salsa), and there was an open tailgate.  Only thing missing was the sporting event.  Or rock concert.

Now, I'm not bashing the tailgate party.  Not at all.  But as a reminder: we were at a wedding.  In the parking lot.  Tailgating.

The Canadian in me was shocked (the term "tailgating" in Canada typically refers to driving up someone's ass on the highway).  The wedding-goer in me was in awe.  But the most shocking part of it all was that I seemed to be the only one marveling in my shock and awe.  Others casually stopped by on their way from their cars to the reception and grabbed a quick beer or bite.  No one seemed more than mildly amused that our friends had  thought to set-up shop.  In the parking lot.  At the inn.  Even I took a break from my shock and awe long enough to indulge in a veggie wrap and cup (or three) of warm spiked cider during the intermission between events.  But even as I drank (purely to raise my body temperature as it was maybe 45 degrees out - ok fine, it was delicious...), I was still shocked.  And awed.

I guess you can take the girl out of Canada, but you can't take the Canada outta the girl.

 

Making the Most of "Mommy & Me"

Everyone will tell you: when you have kids, you'll make new friends.

Kids come with a seemingly unending calendar filled with events such as school, extracurricular activities, birthday parties and more. But the first encounter most mothers have with the mommy contingent comes in the form of "Mommy & Me" classes.

Starting as early as just days after returning from the hospital with your bundle of joy and lasting well into the preschool years is the phenomenon known as Mommy & Me. Typically this involves some group setting intended to be together-time for mom and tot in a social environment where kids can be with other kids and by default, moms can socialize with other moms. Sounds simple, right?

Well, not necessarily.

Moms can be one of the most difficult groups to penetrate, especially if you are a newcomer. But if you are looking to make the most of Mommy & Me, making mommy friends makes running after your child week after week slightly more palatable.

It's almost like dating. You meet in group, you see them a few times a week, but how do you take it to the next level? How do you know if they like you? It seems like they do, but how do you really know? Do you just put yourself out there and go for it?

Actually, you do. If you feel a bit of a connection with a mom, ask about what her child's schedule is like. Could you plan a play-date? A coffee date?  You do the inviting. Ask the duo to come to your house or if the weather is good, plan a neutral park date. Feel like stepping it up a notch? See if she wants to meet at a local ice cream parlor where the kids can play and have a treat while the two of you, well, get to know each other a bit.

It's intimidating. Why is that? Any mom will agree that dating other moms is reminiscent of the high-school scene, where everyone is just a little self-conscious and a lot socially awkward. But if you forget all of that and just go for it, chances are you'll be Queen Bee in no time at all.

And hey, your new friends may even come with tolerable daddies to keep your child's daddy company during football season. 

This post was originally published on Savvy Source on October 14, 2009.

Flatter Yourself with "The Girls" Yoga Wear.

I have a uniform.  It's the "work-at-home-mom" uniform and I don't often stray from it.  It consists of yoga pants, a tank top, and typically a cute sweatshirt of some kind.  It doesn't look messy, and it doesn't scream "I've Given Up" in the way sweatpants do.  But it's comfortable, reasonably fashionable, and I can count on it each and every day.

I sometimes even wear a body shaper under my "outfit", if my top is fitted.  After all, gotta prove to those preschool moms that I'm actually exercising during those three hours between drop-off and pick-up.  ;)  But if I miss a day, there's now an alternative.  And it's called The Girls.  Cute name, right?  After all, isn't it typically your girls who've got your back no matter what?  And they do in this case too.

The Girls is a yoga-wear line, not unlike the stuff I wear, but it actually has tummy control.  YES!  Tummy control!!  For those of us with leftover baby pooches (and maybe some stuff from before baby - ssshhh!) who wouldn't mind a touch of help with our - ahem - problem area.  And unlike your grandmother's girdle, this stuff is built right in so other than a mild shimmy to get them on, you'll never even know it's there other than the potential for a little extra confidence.

There are a bunch of styles which include pants, shorts, and tops.  I tried the boot cut pant and the short-sleeve top.  I thought the concept was great.  Really, fabulous.  The clothes are comfortable, and definitely do what they say they do.  My only complaints are that the black didn't stay black enough for me post-wash (I'm a total stickler for this), but the affordable price point ($34.99 for the boot cut) make this item totally worth it.  My other piece of advice would to be order up a size on the tops.  I'm pretty much religiously a medium, but I found the top really stuck to my body in a way that didn't appeal to me, so I gave it to my slightly smaller friend who is enjoying it profusely.  Again - price point on this line - absolutely in line. 

Want to win your own pair of The Girls boot cut pant?  Simply visit their website and tell us which style appeals to you most.  One winner will be chosen on Monday, October 19th.  Only one entry per person please!  Only open to US residents.  

All products reviewed were provide to me at no cost by The Girls.  All views and opinions reflected on this blog are my own and were in no way influenced by any outside party.

I Have A Dream

Ok, so maybe my dream isn't quite so selfless and world-changing as MLK's was in 1963.  But it's my dream, and I'm waking up to a pretty clear memory of it.

I had a dream last night that I went back to a full-time job outside of the home.  In the dream, the people were cool, the office was great, and my job was perfect.  In the dream, there was a party the first day, a meeting where the boss related to the employees, and women who weren't bitchy (I know, but one can dream!)  But all through this perfect scenario dream, I felt, even in my dream, uneasy about something. 

In the dream I hadn't had a formal "offer", hadn't been told my hours, and never actually agreed to anything.  Probably because in my real-life, though I'm getting itchy to re-join the outside of home workforce, I'm not looking to spend 40+ hours a week away from my babies.

But I want to work.

But I  also want to be that mom who dispenses 3 meals per day and is there for playgroups and school events.

I'm certain I'm not alone in this.  I know I can't be the only former working woman to daydream about getting dressed in more than Lulu Lemon's in the morning and having people ask me about more than what time preschool drop-off is.  But at the same time, I need to ensure that I am the one who is present at drop-off (and pick-up) at least most days.  What to do.

I've been sending out resumes for opportunities that offer contract and part-time hours.  My specialty is writing, but isn't everybody's these days?  (and the fact that I actually have a university degree stating this doesn't seem to separate me from the sea of wannabe's...)  And since I'm self-taught at the art of social media and the use of online tools for effective marketing and promotion, I'm advertising myself as an asset to any social media team.

Only catch is, I don't do full-time.

This is a struggle at best.  I mean I'm committed, I'm ready, and the money would be awesome (running an online store and freelancing is fabulous, but isn't the fabulous source of income you'd think it might be).  But not at the cost of sacrificing 40+ hours per week with my daughters.  And as I snuggled close to the warm body of my 3-year-old this morning, this fact became crystal clear.

But it's 8:37am, and I'm wearing my Lulu Lemons...  

Sabrina accompanying Mom to a Stonyfield Farm blogger event, September 2009.

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got...

Or so it seems.  I know, I've been a bit off lately.  And I also know that this blog is lacking for my typical acerbic wit and general sarcastic approach to everything in life.  I know.  And I hope I'll be back soon.

Unfortunately, life seems to have hit a bit of a snag lately.  It's like the universe has shifted somehow, and I'm waiting, waiting patiently, for it to shift back into place.

I guess life is a series of hills and valleys (forgive the cliche - I so HATE bloggy-cliches).  But when the hills far outnumber the valleys, those lows feel like a hot poker just teasing in and out of my day with no real rhyme or reason.  But soon, it'll be ok again.

I'm sure of it.