Real World Mom

Summer (my favorite time of year) is less than two weeks away!  Not sure about you, but summer brings to mind days at the beach, not waking up to an alarm clock set way too early, day trips to the park, and the zoo, and spending more time with the kids!  Ah, bliss!

That is, after I finish the vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the kitchen and the bathrooms, taking out the trash, etc., etc., etc.  Ok, why do I feel a little less excited about summer’s arrival now?  I still want to go out and play!  (/whine)

But, as we all know, motherhood also includes the mundane (and sometimes yucky–why does a five-year-old think leaving a half-eaten popsicle under the sofa cushion is a good idea?! ) chores of keeping the abode shiny clean (even if there is almost always the toy maze on the family room floor, shh!).

What if we could find an affordable cleaning service to deal with all of that boring stuff for us?  I bet that’s near the top of most moms’ wish lists!  I know I’d love it!  I can imagine leaving for the beach in the morning and coming home after a day of  fun in the sun to a clean house.  Yes.  Definitely a dream come true!  Think I just found one more item to add [to the top of] to my ‘to do’ list!

Happy almost summer!

A few days ago, I was invited to take part in previewing an event for a new AJ Wright store opening in Paterson, NJ.  An offer to combine shopping and blogging?  How could I resist?!

The challenge? How much could I buy for $100 at AJ Wright?

The journey began when they sent a car for us:

The car and our driver, Ralph. There’s a sign in the window that says, “Ms. Stacey”.

I enjoyed the ride:

We arrived at the store:

There we were met by Ashley and Keri, the friendly PR folks! Here’s a photo of Ashley and I:

They made us feel right at home, and even fed us delicious food, catered by a local restaurant.

We also received a goody bag, which included a snappy (purple!) Sony Webbie camera (woohoo!), a pad and pen to take notes, a calculator to tally our loot, and a $100 gift card (not in the photo, cuz, of course, I spent it!)!

Tim was such a trooper, they also gave him a $50 gift card! Thank you again, guys!

I have to say, I was immediately impressed with the layout of the store. You can pretty much stand anywhere and see where everything is (convenient, yes?). The signage is up nice and high, the store is brightly lit, and the aisles are wide enough to get a cart/stroller/wheelchair through without a fight. Love it! And, ladies, this is one of the best parts: the handbags are arranged by color! How awesome is that?!

As if that weren’t enough, each item has the price marked right on it!! I didn’t think anyone did that anymore!

Yes, these are Gloria Vanderbilt jeans for $9.99!!

I had a lot of fun shopping–especially with no guilt about the money I was spending!

Tim appreciated the way the men’s department was set up. Apparently, guys like to be able to see things at a glance, so, having the clothing hanging on the wall is a big plus for them.

So, how did we do?

Tune in tomorrow to see how Real World Mom–and Tim–spent $150 at AJ Wright!

*Special thanks to Tim for his love, support, and photography skills!*

Tim was home Saturday, and I was worried he would interrupt my usual routine of cleaning/laundry, etc.  (I don’t know why, I’m just a creature of habit, and when something changes in my daily procedure, my feathers get ruffled!)  Anyway, it turned out to be a blessing for me, because he helped me clean!    Perhaps becoming engaged has brought out more of his domestic side?    (This may be working both ways though, because I actually cooked dinner tonight.  Maybe we’ve both become more domesticized??)

So, with some free time on my hands, I finally got around to doing the review I promised a long time ago a while back, for a product from Teak Wicker and More.  They sent the item quickly (FedEx), but I was very slow in doing my part.

Let me tell ya right off, I was sorry I was so lazy took so long to open the box!  It is so cute!  Oh.  I haven’t even told you what “it” is yet, have I?  Oops!  I chose to review the Garden Bridge Lawn Ornament, and it is just the perfect accent in my garden!

Let me show you, step-by-step, the process I went through to build my bridge!

The box:

The pieces:

The very simple instructions:

Step 1 finished:

Step 2 finished:

All done!

Another shot:

I forgot to pay attention to how long it took me to put it together, but I’d guesstimate it was about half an hour. (Would have been less than that if I had paid better attention to the directions!) Other than my own mistake, it was very simple to do.

And here, my friends, is the final result:

Doesn’t it look purty?

If you’re looking for something really cool for your yard (or house), be sure to check out Teak Wicker and More, because they have a HUGE selection of everything from statues and fountains to sheds and outdoor furniture. I’m thinking I need at least one more bridge for the backyard! Oh, honey…

There was no news at work last night.  Or, if there was, no one shared it with me.  Debbie (not her real name) wasn’t there, so I couldn’t ask her.  And, since she probably wasn’t supposed to say anything to me the other day, I didn’t want to ask anyone else.  So, I continue to wait, not knowing what’s going to happen.

I’m trying to stay focused on the positives.

• Even if I don’t keep this particular job, I may have help finding another one in this huge organization.
• I’ve got a shot at getting a job through the work study program at school (not as much $, but they would certainly be understanding about school-related responsibilities).
• I have met some incredible people, and experienced some things that I may not have otherwise, and nothing can take that away.
• If I’m offered the job permanently, I will either have to try to talk them into adjusting my hours two days a week, or switch a class that I really don’t want to switch.  If I leave the job, I won’t have to worry about that!
• It will be a challenge to work the hours I’m working AND take five classes.  Again, if I don’t have that job anymore, problem goes away.

Either way, I’m going to be ok!

In other news…  If you like candles and/or really cool accessories, please take a couple of minutes to check out my PartyLite show.  If you’d like to place an order, have no fear!  It will be shipped directly to you in a timely fashion, and you’ll love the products (I know because I used to sell it!).  Just be sure to put my name in as the host (Stacey Dadich).

I’m getting a G1!!  Tim received his earlier this week, and I fell in gadget love!  This is the absolute coolest phone I have ever seen!  It’s like a computer, and the phone is just there too!  Soooo cool!  Even though I just got a new phone about three weeks ago, Tim called and was able to get them to do an exchange.  In my defense (if you will allow me to stretch a bit), I have been having some problems with the battery in my new phone, so that is a good reason to get a different one, right?    I’m very excited and can’t wait to get it!  Thank you, Sweetie!!

While I have tweeted about it, and have his logo on my front page, I’ve never mentioned Tim’s web hosting service here on Real World Mom.  So…  (drum roll, please!)  Introducing TimburyDotNet, the best web host in the biz! I’m not just saying that because my other half owns it either–I’ve heard him on the phone with customers, and I know how far he’ll go to help them out.  TimburyDotNet is the ideal host for bloggers too.  He can have your site set up, with a fresh blog  included, in a very short time.  AND, his prices are GREAT!  If you’ve ever dreamed about having your very own website, get in touch with TimburyDotNet, and he can help you make it happen, even if you don’t have a clue where to start!

For Real World Mom readers, TimburyDotNet is offering 25% off the first year to new customers! On the basic plan (perfect for us bloggers), that’s only $37.50 for your first year (that breaks down to $3.13 a month!).  Great price and the best customer service!  Questions?  Contact me or timATtimbury.net.

Happy weekend!!