Mom Always Said

Mom always said, well, a lot of stuff.  Most of it was even pretty valuable.  But I'm pretty sure I will continue to hear her voice every winter for the rest of my life as I leave the house during the winter in my nonwintery shoes and a light jacket.  You see you don't spend your entire life living in the Midwest without ending up stuck in a snow storm at least once.  And by stuck, I mean literally, like car in a ditch or a snowbank stuck.

And being buried in the snow is not the moment you want to be wearing you cutest shoes!  As a true Midwesterner, and always prepared mama, my mom ALWAYS had a heavy blanket and often serious winter boots in the trunk of her car.  You really think it will never happen to you but even the best winter drivers can end up in a mess on a slippery road.  To do your best to stay out of this situation, here are a few of my suggestions...

1. Learn to drive in the snow.  You may be able to avoid going out in the snow sometimes, but no matter how hard you try you will never be able to avoid it completely.  Thankfully the new rules in our state for getting a drivers license make this more likely to happen before a teen is licensed.  When I got my license, I took drivers ed in the middle of the summer.  I don't think I ever drove in rain, let alone snow before being given free reign of the wheel.  That first winter was SUPER scary.

2.  The best offensive is a good defense.  Yeah, that's actually a sports quote but it applies to driving too.  You may have completely mastered driving in the snow, but that doesn't mean everyone else out there has.  In snowy and icey conditions you need to be hyper aware of what other drivers are doing.  Just this month I was almost creamed by a semi blowing through a red light during the first snow storm of the season.  Had I not been overly cautious about entering an intersection on such a slippery day I may not have avoided a potentially serious accident.

3.  Keep your car safe.  Make sure your tires are ready for winter.  Change your wiper blades.  Keep your windshield washer solution full. If you have a front heavy rear wheel drive vehicle, tossing some sand bags in the trunk can help a lot. (I learned this after my first miserable winter driving, in a Thunderbird.) And never, never leave home without your trusty ice scraper. 

4.  Be prepared for the worst.  You can do everything right and still be unlucky enough to wind up stranded.  In today's cell phone society hopefully help is just a call away but in a bad storm it still make take them awhile to make it to you.  Keep at least one warm blanket in your car.  If you regularly wear dress shoes, keep some boots in your trunk. 

5.  Remember, spring isn't THAT far away.  Dealing with the cold and snow can get tiresome.  Fight off the winter blues by thinking about all the great things there are to do in the spring, it'll be here before you know it!

Snowball fights and snow angles are fun but driving in the snow and ice is serious business.  Stay smart and stay safe this winter!

For more great driving resources, check out Esurance on Facebook!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Dear Dads

If you're a dad, that means there is very likely a Mama in your life.  And in case you haven't yet realized it, Valentine's Day is sneaking up on us.  On this day of the year, one my one husband so lovingly refers to as a "Hallmark Holiday" do you typically get gifts for her?                     

If you are much like us, you might opt to go out for a nice dinner in place of Valentine's gifts, anniversary gifts and birthday gifts.  If however, you are gift givers, here are a few hints for you for this year. 

1. It's the thought that counts.  Ok that doesn't mean you get point for THINKING about buying a gift.  It does however mean you should sleep with one eye open if your sweetie is working desperately to lose weight and you bring home a large box of chocolates.  A little thought can go a long way.

2. Consider your budget.  This is especially true if your valentine is the one who handles the household finances.  But if things are tight, she might DESERVE those beautiful diamond earrings but they may also cause her more stress than they are worth!

3.  The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but the way to a woman's heart is through her kids!  Consider a gift that is either made by the kids or reminds mom of them.

4. When all else fails let her be pampered!  There is no shame in getting a gift certificate if it is for a spa or her favorite salon!

Disclosure: Sponsored post

What do YOU Think About This Years Oscar Nominees for Best Picture?

The nominees for this years Best Picture were announced this morning? Have you seen any of these movies?  Did your favorites make the list?

I have only seen The Help and I think if it wasn't nominated, I might have to stop watching movies all together.  I'm going to try and watch any of these that are available on DVD before the Oscars but I'm going to start with Moneyball because I have heard it was really good, and besides, you can't really go wrong with Brad Pitt. Which I suppose means my next chose will probably be Tree of Life.

Click on any of the movie graphics to be taken to more information on that film on the official Oscars website!

Real Steel, featuring Hugh Jackman on DVD Blu-Ray TODAY

When Real Steel came out, there was no question that my boys would want to see it.  Fighting AND robots, or even better FIGHTING ROBOTS!?!?! It's like every boys dream come true.  Even the 'boys' who've grown up a bit now will feel a little nostalgic while watching these real live rock em sock em robots duke it out.  We watched this movie last weekend and it was one the entire family really enjoyed. The plot was a little different than what I had picked up from the previews and it was actually an even sweeter story than I thought it would be.  But there was still a TON of action that kept the boys riveted to the TV the entire time!  I DO need to say that there is a good deal of cursing, and a bulk of it happens right at the beginning.  We don't really restrict viewing based on language so I don't honestly usually pay much attention, but it was enough that my 8 year old pointed it out to me.  I personally wouldn't let it stop me from allowing my kids to watch the movie but if it is an issue for you, please look into it before letting your kids watch.  (I don't want anyone being mad at me.)  I loved that this movie had a David versus Goliath feel but also had more realistic end than what you would typically expect in a family movie.  For any parent who's ever tried to teach their child that it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game, THIS movie is for you!!

FUN FACTS

§         “Real Steel” is set in the near future, where robots have replaced boxers in the ring, and is directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum,” “Date Night”).

§         “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Prestige”) as Charlie Kenton, a financially strapped, risk-taking former boxer who now makes his living on an underworld robot boxing circuit, operating the metal pugilists that made his human profession obsolete.

§         The robots each have a distinctive look, personality and color scheme and range in size from 7’6” to 8’5” in height. Based on human form, they each have two legs, two arms, a torso and a head—with the exception of a two-headed bot aptly named “Twin Cities.”

§         In addition to their distinctive personas, every robot has a specific sound personality. When a robot lands a punch there’s a sound specific to his skeletal material, his mechanisms, his bulk and his mass and there’s also an aura sound so that just merely by being turned on every robot has a whir or a whoosh or an engine hum or the sound or a computer.

§         Evangeline Lilly (“Lost”), who plays Bailey, never saw herself making a boxing film, but when she read the heartfelt script she was won over.

§         Toronto-native Dakota Goyo was chosen from thousands of 10-year-old boys who auditioned for the role of Max, Hugh Jackman’s on-screen son, as part of an international casting search.

§         Filming the robot boxing scenes was done with both motion-capture technology and practical-built, full-scale robots. The motion-capture elements were performed and shot months earlier on a stage in Los Angeles. Fighters were put in the ring wearing data-capturing jumpsuits and as they fought, their motions were converted into robot avatars in the computer and instantaneously appeared on the monitors on set. Then, during principal photography, the filmmakers lined up their cameras on an empty ring and the motion-capture data streamed through their cameras, allowing them to watch and frame the robot fighting in the ring in real time.

§         Sugar Ray Leonard was hired by the filmmakers to serve as the film’s boxing consultant and to train Hugh Jackman for his appearance in the ring.

§         “Real Steel” costume designer Marlene Stewart created a wardrobe for Hugh Jackman’s character Charlie that was inspired by looks from the 1960s, drawing from rugged Americana styles.  Even his sunglasses are retro.

§         In “Real Steel” there is a clear delineation between the two worlds of robot boxing. There is the official league (the WRB); it’s corporate sponsored, with big money, sanctioned venues and strict rules. Then there is the underworld, which has unsanctioned venues, with no rules, no restrictions—the robots fight to the death.

Introducing….THE BOXER BOTS!

Ambush is a low-rent circuit bot. The best fight that Charlie can arrange for Ambush is literally against a piece of livestock.

Atom may not be in the biggest or the flashiest bot in the ring, but he is the most extraordinary. He is the "hero" robot.

Colored in gold and red, Midas sports a mohawk. He's a brawler. He follows no rules. He'll use whatever means necessary to win a fight.

Noisy Boy is a former league bot. When he started losing fights, he was exiled to doing boxing exhibitions in South America and Asia. He's now back, but he's no longer league caliber, so he's fighting in underworld venues.

With a block-shaped upper body, Twin Cities is a vicious two-headed robot!

Zeus is the champ of the WRB. He is enormous. He is described as "The Death Star." He is painted reflected black. He has piston-programmed punch mechanisms in his arms. Not only has Zeus never been beaten, but also, no other robot has even survived beyond the first round with him.


For a limited time, Dreamworks is offering $5 OFF the purchase of the Real Steel 3-disc Combo Pack. 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this film for review purposes.  All opinions expressed, are my own honest personal feedback.

Abbott Champions for Kids #AbbottCFK #CBias

As a mom I can't imagine how you can not be sensitive to the needs of kids.  As the mom of a child in our school district, it's hard to ignore the need right at our own back door.  We live in a poor community.  We don't make a lot ourselves but we make ends meet and our children have thankfully never experienced real hunger, but they go to school every day with kids who do.  In checking the website of one of the local food banks in our area their stats indicate that 8% of those served are children 0-5 and 48% are under 18.  That is heartbreaking to me.  I can truly not imagine what it must feel like to be a parent who is simply unable to meet all the needs of your children.


Abbott Champions for Kids campaign is asking you to LEARN, GATHER, GIVE to make a difference for kids!
LEARN about the hunger needs of children in your community by inviting a teacher, social worker, food pantry employee, or homeless shelter volunteer to talk with your
family, friends, and co-workers.
GATHER your family, friends, and co-workers and ask them to bring nutritious foods like Pediasure®, Pediasure SideKicks®, and ZonePerfect® bars to help children in need.
GIVE the nutritious food to a school, church, food pantry, or non-profit organization in your community. These organizations need snacks and meals for children who do not get enough nutritious food on a daily basis. This food doesn’t just help children have enough to eat – it helps them have happier and healthier futures.

Our family will be shopping this week to gather our own donation for a food pantry at a local church.  We have helped support this pantry but I have honestly never really considered focusing specifically on the hunger needs of children.  Just recently our boys' Cub Scout pack held a food drive for this food pantry.  The pack did this because the pantry has consistently been running low as the need in our community continues to grow daily.

Will you join us in the Abbot Champions for Kids campaign and make a difference in childhood hunger in your area? Visit the CFK Simple Service Projects page to get more info!


This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All opinions are my own.