TheFind Blog

Super Bowl Revisited

I watched the Super Bowl in it's entirety this year. Typically, I only watch the ads, but I actually watched most of the game. I think I fell asleep before half time, there was so little activity. I was starting to wonder if the score would ever move again. Thankfully, the action started back up during the second half. I don't recall if it was during third quarter or not, but I know that the fourth quarter was very exciting! I have to say, I was pretty happy to see the underdogs pull up and win it. That was really cool.

The real reason that I watch Super Bowl is for the ads, but this year was pretty disappointing. There were only about a handful of ads that were at all memorable and that also deserved to be aired during Super Bowl. I don't know what happened, but it seemed like the ad writers went on strike along with the TV writers this year. Tragic!

For first quarter, the only ad that I really liked was the Bud Light flame thrower. Remember the guy that was allergic to the cat and started sneezing fire all over the apartment? That was pretty entertaining and Super Bowl worthy IMO.

During second quarter, I really enjoyed the Budweiser commercial featuring Hank who didn't get to work with the hitch team, so he trains with the dalmation and gets in shape to join the team. So cute! The Tide to Go commercial with the talking stain was entertaining. I figured out what they were advertising early into the commercial, so that was cool. I also enjoyed the Bud Light commercial with all the guys with accents trying to pick up women in the bar. It was funny, but it wasn't a new concept for Bud Light.

I found the Planters nuts commercial to be disturbingly funny. And I was sorely disappointed by JT's Pepsi commercial. That ad received a lot of hype beforehand and I don't think it delivered at all. So he did his own stunts, wow. I guess that was the big claim to fame for that ad!

For third quarter, I'd say that Vitamin Water with Shaq on a racehorse took the cake, along with the new ETrade baby - he was pretty cute. The Coca Cola ad with the Thanksgiving Day Parade inflatables was funny, but I thought the ending was a real let down. They could've payed that off in so many ways, but they just gave the Coke to Charlie Brown. What?!? I think I would've had a battle between the two inflatables end in one of them being impaled by a pole on a building or something exciting like that.

And finally, fourth quarter I thought the Toyota Sequoia ad with the big wheel races was lot of fun! And Amp Energy's dancing car jumper was disturbingly funny (almost as disturbing as the Planter's commercial). The Gatorade G2 commercial that had the really cute dog drinking out of the bowl left me asking WTH?!? Cute dog, but the commercial did nothing for me.

As far as the ads go, Bud Light wins the Super Bowl. Here's my favorite ad this year:

So, that's it. No gut wrenchingly funny ads this year. I hope that the ad superstars come back to play ball next year and make those multi-million dollar ad spots really pay off. It is the advertising Super Bowl, after all.

Happy Watching/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

What WON'T You Eat on Super Bowl Sunday?

Super Bowl Sunday is fast approaching...are you ready? Whether you're hosting a party or attending one, chances are great that you're going to have to prepare food for the big event, not to mention you'll be eating a lot of food as well. So, what's it going to be?

- pizza
- nachos
- buffalo wings
- fried chicken
- 7 layer dip
- chips and salsa/guacamole
- potato chips and onion dip
- popcorn
- veggies & dip
- fruit salad
- spinach dip
- hot dogs/polish sausage
- pigs in a blanket
- spicy meatballs
- chicken & ribs
- steak (steak sandwiches)
- hamburgers
- mini cheeseburgers
- french fries
- onion rings
- pizza rolls
- Bagel Bites
- soft pretzels
- taquitos
- quesadillas
- burritos
- tacos
- Chinese food
- sushi

Ugh! Just looking at all the food on that list is giving me a stomach ache. What about dessert? Who's in charge of dessert this year?!? Some faves...

- brownies
- cupcakes
- cookies/cookie bars
- ice cream sundaes
- popsicles

Do we really need more than that? Probably, but that's my contribution for now. And finally, drinks:

- BEER
- soda (variety)
- margaritas
- water

Did I cover it all? Is there anything else that anyone in the world needs in order to enjoy Super Bowl? If so, please let us know! I'm dying to know if there are any other Super Bowl faves out there.

I don't know about you, but I'm ALL about the ads during Super Bowl. I was very happy to hear that there won't be any political ads this year. Thank goodness! This is the time for advertisers to shine and show their best and sometimes craziest stuff. It's the Super Bowl of advertising and I can't wait.

BTW, who's playing?!?

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Combatting Winter Time Blues

Winter is a time when people tend to feel blue (aka depressed). While it's often not a clinical depression, the happiness that many of us know when the weather is great tends to slip away when the skies are gray and cloudy. It's cold outside, sometimes rainy or snowy and exercise may subside during the colder months. With all those agitators, who wouldn't feel a little blue?!?

Combat the blues by dressing to impress! You don't need somewhere special to go in order to dress impressively...dress for yourself! When you're feeling blue, skip dark and drab colors. Go for bright yellows, pinks and reds to liven up your day. Put on clothes that fit you well and make you look your best. Somehow wearing bright yellow sweats won't make you feel better. Pair a brightly colored top with your best fitting jeans or skirt, a cute pair of shoes, some flashy accessories and you're good to go. If you need a little attention once you're dressed to impress, take a trip to your local mall and watch heads turn as you go by. That will definitely put a smile on your face and warm your heart. While you're there, buy yourself something cute! A little retail therapy goes a long way.

For dinner, cook up your favorite meal or go to your favorite restaurant. They say that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right? Well, if that's true then you should be able to brighten up your day (or someone else's day, for that matter) with a great meal! Just avoid turning to a pint of ice cream. It really won't make you feel better. On the converse, it will probably make you feel sick! But I've digressed.

Finally, call a close friend or family member who you haven't touched base with for a while. Bridging the gap in time since you last spoke is sure to warm your heart and make you feel good. Good friends and close family members are great for making you forget your problems. And to me, feeling blue is a big problem! Even if it is only temporary.

Happy Searching/Shopping,

Payton

Toy Safety -- Be Informed

Being a parent of young children can be a bit frightening right now. Every time you turn around, there's another toy recall. I seriously thought that we were well beyond the days of lead paint. It really sickens me that we have to worry about lead! I understand the recalls for small parts or things that fall off the toy easily. It's definitely not a good thing, but it's more understandable than lead paint.

If you'd like toy recall updates, sign up here. In addition, there's a ton of information on the cpsc.gov site. If you'd like an easy to view list of toy recalls, go here.

Some basic tips for buying safe toys:
1. Check the recall lists BEFORE making purchases. It's amazing some of the toys that get recalled.
2. Make sure the toy(s) you're buying are age appropriate (there are reasons for this folks).
3. Skip the toys with really small pieces. You may think that your son or daughter would never ingest a toy, but I've seen small parts get stuck in kids noses and ears and that's not fun for anyone.
4. Check all attached pieces to make sure they're really secure (eyes, noses, accessories, etc).
5. Avoid toys with long strings and straps.
6. Assess the toy carefully and imagine the absolute unimaginable things that can happen with the toy and/or it's parts. Kids are very creative and if there's a one in a million chance that they can hurt themselves, they will figure out a way. It's sad, but true.
7. If all else fails, by "green" toys!

Happy Searching/Safe Shopping,
Payton

Make Waking Up Fun for Kids

School's back in full swing and for many kids the honeymoon period's over. The excitement of jumping out of bed to meet new teachers and new friends has grown old and many kids are back to their old tricks of attempting to sleep in as long as possible. If this sounds like your child, your morning woes are over...just purchase this cute little alarm clock called "Clocky" and you can focus on getting yourself ready for the day instead.

It's a pretty awesome concept: set the alarm; the alarm goes off at the specified time; when the user hits the snooze button the alarm clock jumps off the night stand and rolls around the room to hide. The snoozer then has to go find the alarm to turn it off. Clocky will continue to beep until turned off or until the 4 AA batteries die (which won't happen anytime soon). :o) The alarm beeps in various patterns so it's really hard to ignore. This is the annoying pet your child's been waiting for folks! It comes in a variety of colors: almond, aqua, mint, or mustard. Or if you really want to get into the spirit of the pet theme, choose a shag Clocky instead: various colors available.

Note: You can set Clocky to jump off the nightstand immediately if you don't want to rely on your child to hit the snooze button. This alarm clock is an effective way to force adults out of bed as well.

Happy Snoozing/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Best Friends Week -- More Things to Do

Okay, so yesterday I introduced the concept of this week being "Best Friends Week," right? I gave a few ideas of things to do with your best friend. Well, now it's time to get down and dirty and create a list of things to do with your best friend! You're welcome to comment to add to the list (and I will), so please feel free to contribute!

1. Shop online (at TheFind.com, of course!)
2. Shop at the mall
3. Try a new restaurant/cuisine
4. Go to the movies (try a premier or opening night of a really hot movie)
5. Check out a "B" movie
6. Get a makeover
7. Go to the salon together for new hairstyles
8. Clean out your closets and swap clothes (donate the rest to charity)
9. Buy new furniture and assemble it together
10. Have a garage sale
11. Host a tea party
12. Go out and support your favorite local band
13. Attend a concert
14. Try a new sport
15. Join a yoga class
16. Join a gym (and actually go workout regularly)
17. Go ice skating or roller skating
18. Learn how to play ice/roller hockey
19. Go rock climbing
20. Train together for a running, walking or cycling race
21. Train for a triathlon
22. Join Weight Watchers or a diet center of choice
23. Attend a monster truck show
24. Go check out Nascar
25. Get in the driver's seat and race go-carts
26. Hang out at the beach
27. Host a bon-fire party at the beach
28. Adopt a puppy and enroll in puppy training
29. Take your dogs to the dog park (after they're trained)
30. Buy a right hand ring
31. Go wine tasting
32. Go beer tasting
33. Hang out in a biker bar
34. Take tennis lessons
35. Take cooking classes -- sushi anyone?
36. Take a jewelry making class
37. Take a pottery class
38. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
39. Tackle house work (or spring cleaning) as a team
40. Write a story or book together
41. Go golf or learn to golf
42. Make fondue
43. Go out and sing karaoke at a bar
44. Play laser tag or paint ball
45. Have a TV or movie marathon at home
46. On a rainy day, go out and stomp through puddles
47. Learn how to knit or crochet
48. Join an online community and get involved
49. Join a dating service (if you're single)
50. Go on a blind double date (again, if you're single)
51. Have a spa day
52. Go for a manicure & pedicure
53. Be an animal/mammal trainer for a day at a participating zoo
54. Go on a ride-a-long with a cop
55. Tour a fire station
56. Have a sleep over and stay up all night
57. Host a game night (play all night, if you can)
58. Go to San Francisco and play chess or checkers against someone on the street
59. Play pool with pool sharks
60. Go to Coyote Ugly and dance on the bar (among other things)
61. Go out for a nice dinner and a play/musical
62. Go out for a nice dinner and the opera or ballet
63. Go to the flea market and haggle 'til you get what you want
64. Sell things at the flea market
65. Host a "Cook for the Cure" dinner (Susan G Komen foundation)
66. Take a trip to the wine country
67. Go camping in the Sierras (or destination of choice)
68. Go horseback riding
69. Make crafts and sell them at a craft fair
70. Host a cookie exchange
71. Paint ceramics and give them to one another
72. Sneak "drinks" into a movie theater (21 and over only, pls)
73. Create match.com profiles for one another
74. Brush each other's hair
75. Shop for engagement rings
76. Ghost or Guest blog on one another's blogs
77. Redecorate a room in one another's house
78. Host a poker party
79. Create a time capsule
80. Scrapbook together and/or host a scrapbooking party
81. Go to farmers market
82. Create a secret sorority or fraternity
83. Give each other nicknames
84. Make a comic book of your adventures
85. Host a pleasure party
86. Host a fake bachelor/bachelorette party
87. Learn how to fly a plane/helicoptor
88. Go skydiving
89. Take a beer or wine making class
90. Visit a convalescent home (take your dog)
91. Have a belching contest
92. Make Christmas ornaments
93. Take a Santa picture together
94. Make chocolate truffles
95. Scrap each others cast off clothes and make a quilt
96. Shop for books for one another in a used book store
97. Find a festival (music, art, wine) to attend
98. Go hot tubbing and/or skinny dipping
99. Take pole dancing classes
100. Take a spontaneous trip without luggage
Reader Contributions start here...
101. Hang out drinking a great bottle of wine
102. Go surfing
103. Watch sports on TV all day long

So, what do you think? I'm sure there are plenty of things on the list that you have done, but are there any you haven't done? Do you have more ideas to contribute? Comment now and let us know!

Happy Adventuring/Searching/Shopping,

Payton

How to Get "Tweens" to Shower

Check out this cool new toy! It's so new, you can't even buy it yet. But it's coming soon (this Fall), so read on...

Introducing AquaStruct™...the cool new tool that kids can build and play with in the shower! Kids of all ages can plumb the walls of their showers with suction-cup mounted pipes, hoses, valves, sprayers and misters. In addition to all that, you can buy a shower curtain and tub mat that spray!

Kids can express more than creativity, they can learn all kinds of cool things like circuit logic, problem solving and resource management. This might be the first step to becoming an engineer, think of the possibilities!

AquaStruct will be taking pre-orders within the next few days. I'll post a link here as soon as it's available and you can take advantage of a 25% discount. It's never too early to start shopping for Christmas, right?

Happy Searching/Shopping,

Payton

Fun Things to Do at Work

Do you ever have moments during your workday when you can't do anything until several other people complete tasks that are necessary for you to move forward? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that we all have experienced this at one time or another. Let's just say that you have some downtime as I mentioned...what do you do with that time? You could organize all the emails that you haven't had time to file. Speaking of filing, you could go through the huge pile of papers on your desk and file them. You could surf the internet and catch up on your favorite blogs (oh wait, you're already doing that ;o). Or, you could play some silly little games. Sound like fun? Read on!

If you need to be discreet (as in, you don't want your boss to know), you could play a round or two of desktop dodgeball. It's not as rough as the real game, but it is pretty fun to knock all the little people over. Get a co-worker involved and it's doubly fun!

If you like the concept of dodgeball, but think it's too silly then try mini bowling instead. You can knock pins over instead of little cartoon kids.

Do you prefer quieter games? Then you might like the mini desktop sandbox. This is also a good thing to play with when you're stumped or need to change your pace so you can be more productive while writing or working on project.

Or, you might opt for a good "old fashioned" Rubik's Cube. They're all the rage again like they were in the '80s! It's something that's easy to work on for a few minutes or a few hours, depending on how determined you are to solve it.

I guess now would be a good time to make a note to myself to buy my boss a desktop toy to try to balance out all the toys I have on my desk.

Happy Playing/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail. Hippity hoppity Easter's on it's way. Do you remember singing that song as a child while you impatiently waited for Easter to arrive? I certainly do!

Easter marks the start of Spring when all the beautiful flowers bloom and animals give birth to Spring litters. It sounds so Disney-like, but it is typically a beautiful time of year. Easter Sunday is a religious holiday for many, but the younger set tend to be focused on the Easter Bunny, Easter baskets full of candy and toys, and Easter egg hunts.

When I was 10 years old, my Grandma started conducting very elaborate Easter egg hunts.  She would  set it up as a scavenger hunt with crazy clues that had us kids running all over her 36 acres of land. Each clue would bring you to an egg, along with another clue. There were also randomly hidden eggs that weren't tied to clues. I think she did that to throw us off a bit. Anyway, the clues would get increasingly more difficult as we go closer to the end. At the end of the hunt, we'd find the final clue to our Easter baskets. It was great fun!


I really enjoyed the hunt, but the real treat was finding the basket full of goodies. I could care less about jelly beans; I used to throw them at my step-brother. All I cared about was the chocolate!  Grandma knew that I didn't waste time with the hollow bunnies. I was all about the solid chocolate! Okay, I still am, let's be real. Regardless, the baskets were full of sweets and fun little toys to play with that kept us occupied until dinner was served.

Dinner was always an elaborate multi-course affair with enough food to food to feed an army! The food was top notch and Grandma always provided several desserts. Needless to say, Easter at Grandma's was always a favorite of mine.

Happy Easter,
Payton

Spring Cleaning -- Fun for Kids

As promised, I'll take you through some fun things you can do with your kids during the Spring Cleaning process. I probably don't need to say that you should be cautious with chemicals and young children. They're usually not a winning combination. Older children can usually help out with milder cleaners, just make sure the room is well-ventilated (end disclaimer).

Kids can be a great help. They may not always be the fastest cleaners, but they can handle some chores that can really help you out. All you need are some extra rags and a bit of patience. Are you ready?

1. When you're sorting through things to put in the designated boxes, let your child be your "box runner." It's like a "go-fer," except in this case they're taking the item from you and delivering it to the box. This will save you time from walking back and forth, etc. Label the boxes with numbers, colors or shapes, whichever is easiest for your child to recognize and keep straight.

2. Put some old gym socks on your child's hands and let them help you with the dusting process!

3. Teach your child how to vacuum the base boards. They're closer to the ground than you are, so this is a natural task for them!

4. If you're child's not too young, you can probably put some latex gloves on him/her and let them "erase" all the muck from the walls with Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. It's the opposite of coloring on them!

5. When you're in the kitchen and you need to clear out the cabinets that are near the floor, ask your child to help you with this task. Make sure that the cabinet they're clearing out doesn't contain anything breakable.

6. Encourage many rounds of "trash can basketball!" Anytime you need to throw away garbage, ask your child(ren) to shoot a basket into the garbage can.

Want to add some more fun to the process?!? Hide some goodies for your kids around the area you're working in. It would be fun for them to find little "treasures" along the way, like candies or small toys to reward them for their help. It also creates a distraction and give them a break so the task doesn't become too long and daunting.

Set up races between you and your child (or amongst the children). The race can be the first one to complete the task or the first one to beat the timer. If you have more than one child, set a timer or play music. When the timer or music turns off, have the children swap tasks.

Do you have any other games or tasks that you give to your kids? Please comment and let us know. We'd love to learn more!

Happy Spring Cleaning with Kids,
Payton

Spring Cleaning -- Wrap Up

You've been cleaning high and low and now it's time to go through and wrap up this project. The dining room, hall ways and entry way still need attention, so let's get through them quickly. They should be fairly easy. If you need the 4 boxes for any clutter or knick knacks, go ahead and grab them. Otherwise, this should be fairly straight forward.

a) Remove cobwebs from the ceiling with a broom or Webster duster. If you have a ceiling fan in the room, dust it as well.

b) Dust all the wall hangings.

c) Demark the walls with Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser, it does an amazing job of making all kinds of wall marks disappear!

d) In the dining room, wipe down the table and chairs (from top to bottom).

e) Also in the dining room, empty out the hutch if you have one and dust everything! Wash all the glass with glass cleaner and paper towels. Replace all the items you want to keep in the hutch.

f) Sweep and mop or vacuum the floor.

That part was pretty easy. Now, you need to go back and wash the inside and outside of ALL the windows in the house! Remove curtains and clean as directed or wipe down the blinds really well. When you're outside, spray the screens with the house and give them a good pressure wash prior to washing the windows.

Happy Spring Cleaning/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Spring Cleaning -- Bedroom Overhaul

It's time to move on to the bedrooms in the house. It's a good idea to get the whole family involved in this one (if you haven't done so already for the other rooms). Spring cleaning bedrooms is more about purging and organization than it is about actually cleaning. Although, you will be cleaning too!

Once again, you'll need your trusty boxes. Just in case you haven't been following the Spring Cleaning series, the boxes you need are listed below:

1. trash
2. items to sell
3. items to put away
4. items that belong in the room, but will be in your way while dusting

Start with the ceiling and work your way down the room as you've done with the previous rooms...

a) Remove cobwebs from the ceiling with a broom or Webster duster. If you have a ceiling fan in the room, dust it as well.

b) Any shelves on the walls should be cleared off and dusted. Dust all the knick knacks and books that sit on the shelves and replace the ones you want to keep. Move any that you intend to get rid of to box #2.

c) Dust all the wall hangings.

d) Demark the walls with Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser, it does an amazing job of making all kinds of wall marks disappear!

e) Clear off the dressers and night stands. Dust the items that will remain on the dressers and night stands and move everything else into the appropriate box.

f) Remove the clothing from the dresser drawers. Decide what to keep and what to move to box #2. Refold and replace the clothes you'd like to keep. Add a sock organizer to keep your socks in check.

g) Empty the drawers/shelves on the nightstands. Again, decide what to keep and what to move to the boxes. Replace the items that you'd like to keep.

h) Strip the bedding off the bed and wash them. Replace on the bed once they're clean.

i) Take a peak under the bed and clear out any clutter and trash. Sort through any items that don't belong under the bed and assign them to the appropriate box. If there's stuff stored under the bed, be sure to sort through it and keep only what you need to. You may want to invest in underbed storage boxes, if you don't already have them!

j) Clear out the floor of the closet and sort through what you want to get rid of and what you want to keep.  Replace (and organize) the things you're going to keep. If you don't already have a shoe organizer, this may be a good time to buy one.

k) Sift through the clothes that are hanging in the closet and remove anything that you haven't worn, don't like and doesn't fit. Oh yeah, and dump the things that are out of style. Take the time to organize the closet so it works for you--by color, by item, etc. It might be time to get rid of all the wire hangers too. Wood or plastic hangers are the way to go!

l) Clear off the top shelf in your closet and (once again) remove anything that doesn't belong in your wardrobe anymore. Refold and organize the remaining clothes and return them to the top shelf. Sweater organizers are quite nice for the top shelf!

m) And now, all that's left is the floor. If you're in a child's room, you may not be able to see the floor! Hopefully, that's not the case and all you have left to do is to pick up a few shoes and socks and then you can vacuum and be done! (If you're stuck with a clutter floor, be sure to call the room owner in to take care of the chaos while you go have a glass of lemonade.)

See? I told you it wouldn't be very much cleaning. But, it was a lot of organizing!  This is always my favorite part of Spring Cleaning. I enjoy the organizing part and giving everything it's own place. The cleaning part I can do without, but it's one of those necessary evils.  Don't you agree?

Happy Spring Cleaning/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Spring Cleaning -- Bathrooms

Now that the kitchen, living room and family room are done, let's move on to bathrooms! Depending on how often (or how thoroughly) you clean will determine how daunting of a task this will be. If you clean often and/or thoroughly, then this step should be a breeze.

Grab your handy 4 boxes again and get to work. You probably won't have to use them as much as you did in the kitchen. :o) Again, the boxes you need are as follows:

1. trash
2. items to sell
3. items to put away
4. items that belong in the room, but will be in your way while dusting

For this room, it's well worth it to clear off the counters, remove all the bottles, etc from the bath tub/shower area, clear out the medicine cabinet and under the sink, as well as any drawers in the vanity. Remove any wall decorations and dust them off.

The bathroom is one of those rooms that easily accumulates lots of junk. You'll see what I mean when you start going through everything...you'll find pills that expired 3 years ago, shampoo bottles with barely enough to wash one head of hair, and all kinds of other non-treasures that should make their way into box #1 with a quickness!

After the decluttering project is done, start by sweeping the floor first. Cleaning the bathroom can be a very wet project. If you get the floor wet, it will make sweeping a nasty chore. So, sweep and then move up to the ceiling and work you way down...

a) Remove cobwebs from the ceiling with a broom or Webster duster

b) Take a good look at the ceiling. Are there any red or blackish marks on it that are not paint? If so, that's mold and it's got to go! You'd be wise to use a face mask prior to taking on this task because mold can make you sick. We all know that, right? Anyway, with face mask in place, take a sponge and a diluted bleach solution and scrub away all the marks on your ceiling that are not paint. Be sure to open a window.

c) Move on to the bath tub/shower. Spray the walls down well with a tile cleaner and let them soak for a couple minutes (or whichever cleaner works well with the material you have in your shower area). Scrub well with a handheld brush AND a sponge, then rinse. Take note of any loose grout or tiles then douse the bath tub/shower pan with your diluted bleach solution and let set.

d) Check out the surrounding walls for signs of mold and/or residue (hairspray, etc). Tackle the mold with your sponge and diluted bleach solution. Residue can be overcome with a multi-purpose spray. Use something gentle so you don't remove the paint from the walls.

e) Squirt toilet bowl cleaner into the toilet and let it set while you continue working on other things.

f) Wash the mirrors and inside the medicine cabinet with window cleaner and paper towels.

g) Wash the counter, sink and faucets with a good bathroom cleaner spray and rag or sponge.

h) Spray and wipe the front of the vanity, inside the drawers and under the sink.

i) Spray and wipe down the entire toilet from top to bottom with your sponge or rag, including the seat and beneath the seat. Be sure and spray the floor at the base of the toilet and let it set (it can get particularly grungy down there).

j) Take a toilet bowl brush and scrub the inside of the toilet.

k) Revisit the bath tub or shower pan. Use what you like, but I like Comet for this scrubbing job! Use a brush or sponge and really paste it up! After letting the diluted bleach solution set, the tub/shower pan should rinse really cleanly.

l) Spray the floor with multi-purpose cleaner and scrub with a sponge. This is the best way to pick up hair spray residue and any other grime that may have worked into the floor. Don't forget to scrub the floorboards,the area right in front of the tub and around the toilet.

m) Once the bathroom dries, replace the things that need to live in there (minus all the stuff you're throwing away, of course).

Now that you're done, go for a walk and get some fresh air. If you have a dog or kids, take them too! You've been up to your ears in chemicals, so it's a good excuse to go outside and enjoy the day.

Happy Spring Cleaning/Searching/Shopping,

Payton

 

Spring Cleaning -- Kitchen Tackle

If it's March Madness time (which it is), then you know that it's also time for some good ol' fashioned Spring cleaning! Oh yeah, it's time to go dust bunny hunting folks. Are you ready for this?!? You know how it is, you find things that you haven't seen for the past 6 months -- some of it good and some of it bad! You find loose change in the couches and all kinds of craziness under the refridgerator. There are good times to be had during Spring cleaning! So, get out your rubber gloves, all your cleaning supplies and tools, and let's get crackin'!

It's best to attack the house one room at a time. Of course, if you're lucky enough to have family members or roommates, then you can divide and conquer. If you have kids, you can make this deep cleaning project into a game (more on this in a later post). I learned long ago that it's best to do this lofty project equipped with four boxes:
1. trash
2. items to sell
3. items to put away
4. items that belong in the room, but will be in your way while scrubbing

First, declutter the room by putting everything in one of the four boxes. If you run around the house trying to put everything away at the moment, you'll never get to the actual cleaning part. So, be sure to use the boxes. Second, after everything's been assigned to a box, start with the highest point of the room and work your way down to the floor. Third, on your way "down" the room, move furniture and appliances so you can clean behind and underneath them. Fourth, once the room is dry, replace the items that belong in the room (from box #4).

KITCHEN:

a) Remove cobwebs from the ceiling with a broom or Webster duster

b) Rearrange dishes, etc in the cabinets above the countertops. Replace any shelf liner paper that's torn.

c) Scrub the outside of the cabinets above the countertops. Be sure to tighten any loose screws on the handles and/or replace missing or broken kitchen cabinet knobs.

d) If you have a pantry, remove ALL the food from it. Wipe down all the shelves. Discard any and all old, stale items or items that will never be consumed. Reorganize and replace everything.

e) Scrub all the appliances. Be sure to empty the crumbs from inside the toaster and spray the oven with oven cleaner and leave it be for now (follow directions on the can).

f) Scrub the outside of the microwave. If the inside's really nasty, boil some water...the steam will loosen up the old food. Scrub out the inside.

g) Scrub the stove top really well. Replace the foil under the burners (if you don't have foil already, you might want to add it for easier cleaning next time). You may want to add or replace burner covers.

h) Scrub the counters and backsplash area really well. Go ahead and knock all the crumbs to the floor (unless you have carpet in your kitchen).

i) Scrub the inside of the sink. If it's a white sink, use a kitchen-safe cleaner with bleach to revitalize the white again. Drop lemons and ice cubes in the disposal to freshen it and sharpen the blades. Don't forget to make the faucet nice and shiny!

j) Dump out each of the drawers and add the no longer needed items to your boxes. Wipe out the drawer and replace/rearrange the necessary items.

k) Rearrange pots/pans, etc in the cabinets below the countertops. Replace any shelf liner paper that's torn.

l) Scrub the outside of the cabinets below the countertops. Be sure to tighten any loose screws on the handles and/or replace missing or broken kitchen cabinet handles.

m) Scrub the outside of your dishwasher -- run it empty with vinegar or baking soda in place of soap.

n) Remove EVERYTHING from your refridgerator & freezer. Dump any food that's old and/or moldy. Discard anything that your family/roommates won't eat (you know you have a box of Hot Pockets in the freezer that no one will eat and it's been there for the past year -- toss it). Scrub the inside of the fridge/freezer with a very diluted food-safe cleanser. Knock all the nastiness out onto the floor. Towel dry and replace the food your family/roommates WILL eat.

o) If you didn't do it already, remove all the magnets and papers from the front/sides of your refridgerator. Scrub the entire outside from top to bottom. Side note: I keep a cloth towel on top of mine because I can't stand cleaning the grime off it.

p) If you have someone to help you, carefully pull the refridgerator out away from the wall. Be careful not to disconnect any water filters, scratch the floor, or hurt yourself. If any seem to be at risk, then skip this step. If you can move the fridge safely, sweep and mop underneath it. Fun!

q) Revisit the oven that you sprayed earlier and scrub out all the grime. Most ovens have metal plates on the bottom...you can easily remove the plates and cover them with foil to make future cleanings easier. Or, you can top them with Teflon oven liners.

r) If there are any walls left to scrub, tackle them now. Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser does an amazing job of making all kinds of wall marks disappear! (It even works on dried blood -- don't ask.) Be sure to dust off any wall hangings too and be careful not to get them wet.

s) Now, you're finally down to the floor. Sweep up all the junk that you tossed on the floor.  Take a bottle of all-purpose spray to soak any bad spots on the floor. Then, mop as usual. For best results, scrub the floor with a sponge or rag (be sure to follow the rules for the type of floor you have).

t) Once the floor is dry, treat the floor with a layer of wax or wood polish or whatever extra fancy thing your floor might require. I've actually never treated a floor...I've always been "blessed" with linoleum - ha! Note to self: investigate replacing linoleum with something more modern and appealing.

u) And, as soon as the floor is dry again, replace everything that you removed at the beginning of this exercise. Remember box #4?!?

After all that is done, call for pizza delivery and then go take a nice bubble bath while you wait for your pizza. Play some relaxng music for yourself, light some candles, do whatever helps you forget about the world and enter the world of relaxation. Just remember to put your robe on before you answer the door when the pizza arrives! ;o)

Stay tuned for more Spring cleaning. One room was quite enough for one day. Whew!

Happy Spring Cleaning/Searching/Shopping,
Payton

March Maaaaadness!!!

I admit, I don't know a whole lot about college basketball -- team rankings, who's who, team colors, yeah pretty much nothing. But I do know that tomorrow, all the March Madness office pools go into full effect! The sports fans are all buzzing about it. I'm participating in our office pool, but I don't know what I'm doing. I randomly chose schools based on name and/or current standing (based on what the ESPN website told me). We'll see how it goes. If I win anything, it will be a strange miracle.

I do know how to play basketball, so I'm not completely in the dark. (Haha!) I know that playing in high heels or regular sneakers is a bad idea. Remember the old Easy Spirit TV commercials?!? The gals in the ads played basketball in heels.  The right choice for actually playing basketball are basketball shoes, of course! There are so many colors, styles and brands to choose from. After taking an office poll, we came up with the following favorites:

Nike Retro Jordan Sneakers

Adidas Basketball Shoes

Retro Basketball Shoes

Converse Mens Wade

Jordan Sneakers

Do you have a favorite basketball shoe? How about a favorite team? Is that team playing March Madness? We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what you think. Best of luck to you if you're gambling in any March Madness office pools!!!

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Game On, Ladies!

I'm sure by now that we're all familiar with Fantasy Football, right? It happens in just about any office you work in or perhaps your significant other plays or whatever. It's really popular, especially with men. Well, now it's our turn ladies...have you heard about Fantasy Fashion League (FFL)? Fantasy Fashion is similar to Fantasy Football, except you draft a team of fashion designers and celebrities instead of football players. Sound fun? Read on!

Basically, you draft a team of designers and celebs who are in the "lime light." These are folks that  will be talked about in fashion mags, those who will show up to awards shows wearing specific designer fashions, etc. You can read all the rules and point values on your own. You can play in either the public league or in a private league. If you go the public route, you play against everyone else, but if you go private, you play against your friends/peers or whomever makes up your league. Regardless of how you play, it sounds like fun!

The next game starts Sunday, Jan. 14th and ends Tuesday, Feb. 27th. The Golden Globes and the Oscars will occur within this time frame, hence the name "FFL Award Show Season" (cute, huh?). There's a $10 fee to play, but they offer a complimentary fashion mag subscription for this season, so it's a win-win, regardless. There are some fun prizes as well (see rules above).

I've opted to join the SVMoms.com private league. Thanks to Sarah G & Beth B, I learned about the FFL. I'm looking forward to playing! SVMoms is looking for more people to participate, so feel free to join their league or start your own. You'll have to act fast though since the Award Show Season starts THIS Sunday!

Happy Play Time,

Payton

Family Holiday Traditions

Time is running out for online shopping folks! Christmas is Monday, so unless you're buying gifts for people that you won't see until after "the big day," you're probably out of luck. Assuming that the gifts have been purchased, let's chat about family holiday traditions.

Whether you realize it or not, just about every family has at least one tradition for Christmas. For my family, like many...cooking and eating is a big part of holiday traditions. My Dad would always kick off the Christmas season by baking lots of cookies and candies and yummy delights. Through the years, it became imperative (to us) that he make Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls. Christmas just isn't Christmas without these yummy treats!

In addition, my Dad would host dinner on Christmas Eve, something big and fancy with multiple courses. We'd all dress up in fancy holiday clothes and act really proper for the evening.  We'd all swear that we wouldn't discuss politics, religion or any controversial topics, but we always did anyway. We'd also talk about the new year to come and what we wanted to focus on.

When I was young, my Dad would dash out and do all his Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. He would carefully separate out my step-Mom's presents and leave those in the car to wrap later. He would then sneak the other gifts in the backdoor and hide them in his room where my step-Mom would do most of the wrapping while my Dad got back to cooking. It was a crazy scheme, but it worked! As we got older, my Dad started shopping earlier because the crazy Christmas Eve dash really stressed out my step-Mom.

If my step-Grandma was around for dinner, she would start us off with a prayer and would then recite The Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. This may seem perfectly normal for many households, but we're not Spanish speakers, so it was a bit quirky (and we love Grandma for it). After dessert, it was time for the spoon hanging contest. This is something that Grandma started long ago at Thanksgiving actually. It's weird, but funny...we'd all lick our spoons and hang them from our noses to see who's would hang the longest. There were no prizes for this incredible talent, just some strange entertainment value after a very large meal.

After dinner we would each open one gift as a preview for the next morning's chaos. And trust me, it was always chaos! The number of presents that were piled under and around the tree was amazing. The mess that ensued from everyone opening gifts was unbelievable! We couldn't even find most of our gifts through all the mess. Afterwards, Dad would always make an amazing brunch of Eggs Benedict and a bunch of side dishes. And then we'd spend the rest of the day playing with our new toys and games.

So, that's pretty much my family's tradition...what's yours?!? Is it similar or different from mine? I'd love to hear about it.

Happy Holidays,
Payton

Let's Pretend!

There are so many toys these days that don't require children to think. Oftentimes, the toys are automated and present children with many functions. While that's really cool, it disables children from using their imaginations. Try focusing on toys that elicit creativity and good old fashioned "made up" fun!

Check out toys like this and gift them to your favorite little friends and family members. They're sure to ask you to get involved and play with them. Do yourself and favor and get in there and have some fun! The coolest adults (in a child's eyes) are the ones that get dirty and play with them.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

It's Game Time!

Some of the best memories are created by family game nights. These days, I suppose that's not isolated to just board games, but that will be the focus for this post. It's fun to get the whole family together to play, battle, laugh, cry and even fight a little (all in good fun, of course). The following games are sure to spur all of the fore-mentioned reactions.

Kids Battle the Grown-Ups is sure to spur some controversy (of the fun kind). This game is bound to turn into a "getting to know you" (better) game. We're all busy and we can't keep up with who likes what anymore. Do a quick cheat and play this game with your kids. Suggested ages 8+

Bring the grandparents into the board game fun with Senior Moments. There are loads of crazy lists to memorize and remember throughout the game. I'm betting the kids win at this game! Suggested ages 12+

Tip of the Tongue is another game that the whole family can enjoy (while laughing at one another). Random bits of trivia will render you tongue tied as the tongue shaped 2 second timer buzzes when you fail to answer. If you're quick, you'll rack up the most points and win. Suggested ages 8+

Every year, I gift at least one board game to my family and some years I gift several. Last Christmas, we played Risk from about 8:00pm-3:00am! It was a crazy marathon and loads of fun!

What are your favorite board games to play with your family? Leave a comment and let us know.

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Fun Stuff for Your Best Friend

These gifts will be "paws-atively" fabulous for your best friend or your mom's best friend or your best friend's best friend. Confused? Yeah, me too. But really, gifts.com has some amazing gifts for our four-legged friends. They're cute, fun and functional! What more could a pet ask for?!?

CUTE:

FUN:

FUNCTIONAL:

So there you have it. Your best friend (or someone's best friend) will love you forever with gifts like these. Nothing but good times on the doggie front! :o)

Happy (Trails) Searching/Shopping,
Payton

Let's Hear It for the Toys!

In my opinion, nothing makes Christmas more fun than toys. I think giving and receiving toys is a lot of fun! Of course, playing with them is the best part of all! With that, I'll highlight the Toys 'R Us top picks. Some of my favorites by age category...

Birth to 2 year olds
You guessed it! TMX Elmo -- I think it's Elmo's crazy, infectious laugh that make him so popular year after year. The little ones just can't resist him.

3 to 4 year olds
Train 'em young with a Fisher-Price Digital Camera! Besides, just think of all the film you'll save by buying your little one a digital camera.

5 to 7 year olds
Get your grade schooler geared up with VTech's Nitro Notebook. Every grade schooler needs to be up to speed in the computer world!

8 to 11 year olds
Have you seen Blue Man Group? If so, you'll appreciate Blue Man Percussion Tubes! I may have to purchase this one myself...Blue Man Group is really cool!!!

Big Kids
What else do "big kids" do besides play electronic games?!? I can't help but showcase the Nintendo Wii.  I like it because it's interactive. You have to physically move to control the game.  Two points to Nintendo for attempting to put a little exercise in gamers' lives. :o)

What other toys/games are hot this year?!? Chime in and let us know what you're shopping for!

Happy Searching/Shopping,
Payton