Archive for the 'shopping' Tag
November 11th, 2009, 1:09 pm by Michelle Reese
 Santa has my thanks.
My kids and I accidentally stumbled on the jolly old man this past weekend at a local shopping mall. (Yes, parents, be warned. He’s already there.)
As the kids and I wandered through the crowd and marveled as the holiday decorations already in place, I spotted from the second level the tip top of a holiday house display. Not knowing the house was OCCUPIED, I called the kids over to look down below:
“SANTA!” they screamed.
Before I knew it they were on a hunt for the elevator.
One of the elves happily greeted us (complete with a look of, “Yes, I know. It’s not Thanksgiving yet and here I am dressed in green with pointy ears”).
No one else was in line, so my son quickly made his way to Santa. My daughter hung back a bit. (I kept thinking, “What am I doing here?”)
Santa had a long talk with them about being good to each other, listening to mom, and doing their chores and homework.
Wow… this man has just earned extra cookies at the Reese house!
Then he asked the kids for their holiday wishes.
Son: “Legos and Bionicle.”
Daughter: Shoulder shrug, “I don’t know.”
Santa: “How about I surprise you?”
After getting some fun books as parting gifts, we headed to my husband’s football game. Within a few minutes of getting in the car, the kids started the bicker. Then they stopped… on their own.
Son: “Santa said we have to be good.”
Daughter: “We can’t fight.”
And that same conversation has gone on just about daily since then.
Um, Santa, do you think you could also make an appearance in July?
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Being a mom • Christmas • Holidays with kids • life with kids • mall • Santa Claus • shopping | Post a Comment »
October 19th, 2009, 1:42 pm by Michelle Reese
I got an e-mail alerting me to a “free” DVD giveaway from Brainy Baby. It’s not entirely free - you have to pay shipping and handling that’s $6.95 - but still, with holidays around the corner, this may be a nice, inexpensive gift for a child in your life.
Now through the end of December, families can go to www.myfreebrainybaby.com and order a free copy of one of the company’s most popular DVDs: music, ABCs, laugh and learn and colors and shapes. Of course this proably puts you on a permanent e-mail or mailing list for their stuff, so be warned.
I saw the information on the Web site, but admit I have not done it myself to see if it works.
Posted in: Uncategorized • Being a mom • free stuff • kids • shopping • toys | Post a Comment »
September 20th, 2009, 1:31 pm by Michelle Reese
 Sometimes moms hear words of wisdom: from other moms, their own moms, or even strangers.
Here’s mine from a Saturday running errands with the kids:
• Before sticking your hand down a garbage can at a local mall food court and asking the cleanup crew to open it for you after your 4-year-old screams, “You threw away my toy,” stick your hand in your pocket.
• Carry hand sanitizer in the car at all times. You never know when you’re going to need it.
• Before heading out of the house, even for five minutes, grab a couple bottles of water. Someone will always say, “I’m thirsty.”
• Someone will also say, “I have to go to the bathroom.”
• It’s impossible to go to a mall with a Lego store without your 7-year-old figuring it out, even if you don’t tell him or plan to go to that particular store. I thought I had it mapped out perfect by avoiding that part of the mall. Then someone walked by with a Lego bag filled with toys.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Being a mom • busy kids • parenting tips • shopping • words of wisdom | Post a Comment »
September 9th, 2009, 12:52 pm by Michelle Reese
 I bought a new pair of jeans Saturday. I got home and - yup - they don’t fit. I should have known. The scale told me so that morning but I ignored it.
When I stepped on it, the scale screamed back at me: You now weigh what you did in your last month of pregnancy four years ago!
And I’m not pregnant. Not even a teeny bit. Certainly not 9 months along.
I don’t work out. I don’t have the best eating habits. I sit in front of a computer 8 hours a day.
I should just let it go. But it glared at me.
So what did I do? I set out to defy the reading. I bought new jeans in the same size as my current jeans - which are a bit tight.
Come on. It’s the same size. I should be able to get more than one hip in them!
But nope. I couldn’t.
I run around with my kids when we’re together the other 16 hours a day (OK, minus the 9 hours of sleeping, but sometime I get exercise then too as I kick my way into a spot on the bed). Certainly that’s got to count for something.
My Wii fit told me the last time I used it that it’d been 92 days since my previous workout.
That sounds about right. Oh, and that was three weeks ago.
Shouldn’t my “tornado” ways at work, jumping from one project to another, count as a daily workout?
Worrying about the kids: that’s got to be, what, 20 calories an hour?
Typing 90 words a minute - 90 calories, right?
Driving to school, to daycare, to work, to assignments, and back again: where’s the love?
I feel 19 in age - hardly the 38 I really am - that should give me extra credit!
Writing this blog - another 50 burned, right?
Oh well, I’ll figure it out. Otherwise, there’s nothing wrong with returning the jeans.
I’d rather have the right size and be comfortable anyway.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • jeans • no time • shopping • Time for mom • weight • workout | 1 Comment »
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