My Favorite Fair Purchase

 Cory doesn't understand it, but we like to go to the Wisconsin State Fair every year, at least once.  And we usually have to buy something - just because.  All those booths are hard to resist.  So far I've managed to resist buying the Vita-Mix, though I do think about it every year.  I just can't justify spending $450 on a blender.  Maybe one of these days...

I'm pretty sure my favorite Fair purchase of all time has to be the Mr. Sticky . We bought it at the fair 3 years ago because we had just gotten a white cat, and I thought it would be great for all that white cat hair that gets all over everything.  And it's been great.  It really does take care of that cat hair.  Except that my Mr. Sticky had lost some of its stickiness, and then the handle of my giant Mr. Sticky broke when I was cleaning the Weasley hair off Jeffrey's ottoman.  So we went to the Mr. Sticky booth at the fair this year to find out what we should do - because Mr. Sticky comes with a lifetime warranty.  I wasn't sure if a broken handle was covered, but when Jeffrey told the lady at the booth that the handle had broken, the first thing she said was, "Why didn't you bring it with you?"

That's right - because of the lifetime warranty, it was all covered, and because they were at the Fair, we could just exchange it there instead of having to mail it back to the company. We didn't have it with us, but because Cory was working at the Fair and going every day, he offered to take it back and exchange it one day.  So he did, and we now have a brand new Mr. Sticky and a brand new Giant Mr. Sticky - and the travel size Mr. Sticky that comes in the box, too.  So we're all set for a lifetime of picking up cat hair.  And other stuff.

While I was there, I took some time to watch a Mr. Sticky demonstration, and I realized I haven't been using this thing as much as I should be.  For instance, there are lots of times when I think the stairs really need vacuumed, like now, but I just don't get to it.  Mr. Sticky to the rescue!  Why didn't I think of that?  Instead of dragging out the vacuum cleaner and putting the extra long hose on, I can use my giant Mr. Sticky.  I tried it this week, and it doesn't get everything because I can't get into the crevices where the steps come together, but it does take care of the large pieces of fuzz and stuff.  How handy is that?  So I'm going to have to be thinking of new ways to use my Mr. Sticky.  It's not just for cat hair any more!

Be Rewarded with WeReward

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of WeReward. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have an iPhone?  Droid?  Blackberry?  Then I think you'll want to check out the WeReward app from IZEA.  From what I hear there are all kinds of apps for these phones, but this is one app that can actually make you some money.  It sounds like a lot of fun.  There are tasks to complete and places to go, and a lot of them are probably things you're doing anyway.  So why not earn a little money while you're doing it?

To get started you just need to download WeReward for iPhone from iTunes, link it to one of your social networks like facebook or twitter, and then you can start earning points.  Each point is worth a penny, and there are a lot of opportunites to earn points with over 15,000,000 businesses in WeReward.  When you accumulate 1,000 points ($10.00), you can cash out your points through PayPal!  Sounds easy, right?  Last time I mentioned this my brother said he downloaded the app and would let me know how it's been working for him.  I haven't heard from him (and I haven't asked, either) so I'm just going to assume that he's been having so much fun completing tasks, checking in around town, and earning points/money that he just hasn't had time to get back to me.

If I ever get a fancy phone, I'll definitely try it.  Right now you can get the app for iPhone and WeReward for Android, and the Blackberry app should be available later this month.  Check out WeReward.com and watch the video for more information on how it works, and be sure to let me know if you get the app on your phone and how you like it.  Oh, and you can refer your friends, too, and you'll get 10% of the points they earn - so you'll want to be the first of your friends to join.  At least I would.

Because Sometimes a Car Needs a Little Work

What do you do if your car isn't running right?  Do you have a mechanic or garage you always go to?  Or are you looking through the phone book trying to find somewhere to take it?

We've been taking our cars to a little shop not too far from here for several years now.  We've had brakes and water pumps fixed, and a new catalytic converter put on the Buick.  I can't even remember how we found this place, but I'm really glad we did.  He does good work, and his prices are really reasonable - and it doesn't hurt that the shop is close so it's easy to drop off and pick up the cars when we need to.  I just found out that the guy who runs the shop lives right here in town, too.

If haven't found a mechanic you like yet, RepairPal might be able to help.  You can search for auto repair shops in your area by searching by city, state (for instance, search for Chicago auto repair) or zip code.  Or you can search by make of car, so if you need your Toyota Corolla  repaired,  you can find a mechanic who specializes in that car.  Then, you can get more information about your local auto repair shops and even read customer reviews to help you choose the right one for you.

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Mindset List 2010

... or can you believe how much the world has changed in 18 years!?

These lists are always interesting to read, but when they started talking about it this morning on the news, I realized that this year they're talking about my son.

Mindset List 2010 - a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall.

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We Lost Weasley Tonight

Nobody tell, Cory, OK?  I'm sure he would kill us if he came home from the movies with his friends and found out we lost his cat.

Jeffrey and I were eating dinner on the deck this evening, when Jeffrey went in to get seconds.  When he opened the door, Weasley rushed out.  The little guy used to lay right in the doorway but make no move to get out no matter how many times we went in and out.  We just had to step over him.  Lately he's decided an open door is an open invitation to him - to go outside.  So he went out, and I didn't immediately grab him, so when Jeffrey came back out, Weasley dashed under the deck before he could grab him and make him go back in.  And then he wouldn't come out again - or he would come out, but as soon as we looked in his direction, he'd dash back under the deck so we couldn't make him go inside.

I figured he'd come out eventually and went in the house to wash the dishes, and Jeffrey went to talk to the neighbors or something.  I guess Weasley came out from under the deck, spotted a bird and chased after it,  and ended up a couple yards over.  So Jeffrey went after him and got him back into our yard - and back under the deck, where he holed up and wouldn't come out.

Jeffrey reinforced the lattice under the deck, trying to block all holes so there was only one way Weasley could get in or out, and then we  waited and tried to coax him out, all to no avail.  Finally, Jeffrey decided he didn't want to wait any more and started hosing the deck down to get Weasley to come out.  And come out he did!  He found a hole Jeffrey had missed and streaked out from under the deck and off to the neighbors' yard again.  It was almost completely dark by then, and we had no idea where he'd gone.  We went out with flashlights to look, but we couldn't find him.  He could have been anywhere.

So we came back home and hoped he'd come back on his own.  I was just hoping he wasn't too freaked out by the water and hadn't gone too far to find his way home and thinking that he may be a little brat, but I'd miss his little face and fuzzy self.  And he did, he made his way home and wanted back in.  It took a bit to coax him in, because he didn't want to let Jeffrey get anywhere near him, but he's home now - and he's not going out again any time soon.

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How Do You Feel About Spying on Your Teenagers?

First let me say that I didn't really spy on my kids.  Too much.  It wasn't really that I thought it was wrong or an invasion of privacy - though Beth would have definitely complained about that if she had thought I was spying on her.  It's more that I didn't think about it until later.

Beth used to hang out with her friends in the basement, and there were times when it would have been really nice to have some kind of hidden camera down there so we could keep an eye on them.  As it is, we just randomly went down and checked on them once in a while, but with a camera, it wouldn't have been so random.  I wonder how long it would have taken Beth to figure out how we knew what was going on down there?  Or maybe she just would have figured that parents know everything, and she couldn't get away with anything.

After she'd been driving a while, I started thinking we should have installed a vehicle tracking device on the car, so we could have checked up on her and made sure she was where she said she was when she said she was.  There were some times I'm pretty sure she was lying, but there was no real way to prove it.   That tracking device would have answered all the questions.

So the question is - should you spy on your teenagers?  How do you feel about it?  Is it something you would consider?  I'm thinking that I would have done it, if only I'd thought of it in the beginning, but instead of hiding the camera, I'd put it right out in the open, and I'd tell her her car was being tracked.  That way she'd know we were keeping an eye on her - maybe not all the time, but she'd never know when.  Just a little incentive to make sure she was behaving herself.  And, of course, we'd have to keep an eye on Cory, too, or we'd hear about how unfair it was - though he never quite needed watching the same way she did.

Camera Critters (#123)

 
Jeffrey and I went to the Wisconsin State Fair last Sunday.  We saw several live critters and several critters of a different type – inflatable!

Camera Critters is a fun weekend meme hosted by Misty Dawn.Visit the Camera Critters headquarters and join in.

Cory was a Cow

It was Golden Guernsey day at the Wisconsin State Fair today.  That means all kinds of fun activities for the kids and adults too - like ring toss with milk bottles and a cream puff eating contest.  Cory got to wear the cow costume.

Did I mention it was a really hot day?  Somebody said the heat index at the fair was 118°.  On the news tonight, they were talking about how hot it was and how everyone was managing to stay cool.  They never once mentioned Golden Guernsey Day or the poor guy (and girl - they took turns) who had to wear the cow suit.  I guess he couldn't have told them how hot he was anyway - since mascots don't talk.

The good news is he survived, and tomorrow he gets to stay inside.  In the air conditioning.  He was cute though, wasn't he?

Unlimited Everything with Boost Mobile

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

We got Cory a new cell phone on Sunday.  Since the Wisconsin State Fair is sponsored by USCellular (our current cell phone provider) they offer special deals on phones at the fair.  Cory's phone had been acting up, and we wanted him to have something reliable for college.  We managed to find one that he likes that doesn't require any kind of data or Internet plan.  I'm sure he would have liked Internet on his phone so he could easily update his twitter or facebook status no matter where he is, but the cost just seems so high.  $20/month for one phone in addition to the cost just to have the phone, when we've got unlimited cable internet at home for around $40.  So, he's got a new phone that's under contract for the next 2 years, and all he can do with it is talk and text - and take pics and play music, but those things don't cost, unless you want to send them to somebody.

As we were walking away from the booth, I said we really need to check into Boost Mobile, because with Boost you get unlimited everything - nationwide calling, texting, web, picture (and audio and video) messaging, and more - all for $50/month, with no contract.  With a Boost Mobile phone, you can keep in touch with everyone easily - tweet, update facebook, share YouTube videos, check and send email, even make phone calls if anybody still does that.  If, for any reason, you can't make a payment, you have 60 days to add enough money to the account to cover the monthly payment before they'll cancel your account.  So you won't lose your phone number, even if you can't use it for a little while.

To keep the account active, just be sure to put enough money into your Boost account to cover the monthly payment by the monthly due date.  Boost makes it easy to add funds to your account, or Re-Boost.  There are three ways - pay online, pay in person, or pay by phone.  I guess technically, you could pay online using your Boost Mobile phone!  It looks like the easiest thing would be to set up Auto Re-Boost  by registering a credit or debit card, and have it transferred automatically.  I'm a huge fan of those set-it-up-and-forget-it automatic payments!  Right now they're offering a $20 credit for signing up for the auto re-boost.  Friends and family members can make payments, too.  File that under: "what to get the person who has everything" - and then expect a thank you call, or post to your facebook wall!

Boost-branded wireless phones are available nationwide at nearly 20,000 major retail and independent wireless dealer locations, or you can order them online.  Right now Boost is offering free shipping, too.  There are quite a few phones to choose from.  I've just started looking and already found a couple I wouldn't mind having, like the Motorola Bali and the Motorola Rambler.  I wonder if that's because my current phone is a Motorola?  They even have Blackberry phones. I know some people just can't live without their Blackberry!  The Boost Mobile Blackberry plan is $60/month, which is cheaper than the company is paying for Jeffrey's phone right now.  Think of the savings if big companies who want their employees in touch at all times would switch to Boost.

Think of how much money you could save with Boost if you're currently paying extras that are included in the Boost Mobile unlimited plan.  Even better, you could win a free phone and $50 Re-Boost card by entering Boost Mobile's Dream Vacation Sweepstakes.

Yard Mowed

I just finished mowing the yard.  Well, not just - I had to take a shower and eat some lunch when I came in.  Mowing is such great exercise.  You people with riding mowers don't know what you're missing!

I heard about a study once that said if people consciously think about the exercise they get when performing ordinary tasks, they get more benefits than people who perform the same tasks but aren't thinking about exercise.  I never found the actual study or any information on it, just heard it in passing on the news.  So, if anyone knows anything about this, please let me know.  I thought it was really interesting. 

Mowing isn't like that, though.  Mowing is exercise whether you think about it or not.  All that walking and pushing.  I was amazed at how much of a workout my arms got - so much that I had to bend over to wash my hair in the shower after, because I couldn't keep my arms up to my head any longer.  Yeah, I haven't mowed for a while because Jeffrey and Cory usually do it.  And Cory usually complains about having to do it.

I can't believe he complains so much about mowing.  You'd think he'd want to do it as often as possible to get in great shape - so he can impress those college girls.